La Oliva brings athletes, technology and public authorities together to debate accessibility in sport

La Oliva’s 3rd Charity Padel Tournament, organised by La Oliva Town Council through its Sports and Tourism departments, has hosted a panel discussion on technology, sport and accessibility organised by Fuerteventura Island Council through its New Technologies department, led by Carmen Alonso.

The event, held at Teatro Raíz del Pueblo in La Oliva, brought together representatives from elite sport and the technology sector to consider how digital innovation has changed sport for people with disabilities in recent years, and what challenges remain.

The panel was moderated by David Blay Tapia, director of the Spanish Paralympic Committee’s podcast, author of two books about elite athletes with disabilities and a journalist specialising in technology. The speakers were Manuel Climent, who is responsible for the Valencia region, Murcia and the Balearic Islands for Orange’s Retail Channel; Marcos Cambronero, an athlete and professional wheelchair padel coach; and Laura Roca, a European swimming champion who has competed in two Olympic Games.

The event opened with contributions from Carmen Alonso, councillor for New Technologies, and Gleiber Carreño, Sports Councillor.

The discussion began by reviewing how technology has improved accessibility in sport in recent years, from materials and adapted equipment to digital tools that support training and competition and make information easier to access. Participants then considered how these solutions could be integrated into mainstream sports so that people with disabilities can take part on equal terms.

Another section focused on the opportunities artificial intelligence could offer in the coming years, particularly for improving sustainability, as well as the most urgent issues that need to be addressed to make sport fully accessible.

The panel also looked at mixed competitions involving people with and without disabilities, a model that is becoming more common across different sports. Finally, speakers discussed so-called “technology at the limits”, with examples including full-body swimsuits in swimming and unregulated chairs in tennis, which raise the challenge of balancing innovation, equal conditions and competitive integrity.