Disability Sport Wales
Chwaraeon Anabledd Cymru

Great Friend of Disability Sport Passes Away

Disability Sport Wales was saddened to hear of the passing of Colin Rains. His great friend and colleague Mr Richard Brickerly MBE has prepared the following obituary.

Our thoughts are with his wife and family at this sad time.

Obituary by Mr Richard Brickerly MBE

Great Friend of Disability Sport Passes Away

Disability Sport has learned that Colin Rains from Nottingham passed away early in the morning of Tuesday 31st March. The year after we lost the inspirational President Bob Mitchell we bid farewell to the man who has done more for CP sport nationally and internationally than any other single individual. As a staff member at Nottingham Trent University in the 70s and 80s he developed many of the ideas that came to shape sport for athletes and players with cerebral palsy worldwide. As the chair of the CPISRA Sports Technical Committee and eventually CPISRA President he inspired so many of us by his commitment, passion and willingness to take on the most challenging of cases to further the cause of CP sport.

Colin was a true leader. I was privileged to be one of his athletics coaching staff at the Paralympic Games in New York in 1984. We came together at the last minute but very quickly he knocked us into shape and a quality support team emerged. The GB athletes performed magnificently because there was structure to the support team and a real belief that we would become the “best” in the world. In 1984, the USA and Scandinavian countries reigned supreme in CP sport but it was clear that Team GB was about to change all of that under the leadership of Colin Rains. 1984 was just the start, 1988 was better and 1992 better still. For the first time ever British athletes and players with cerebral palsy held their heads high in international sport and many went on to be prolific medallists at world, European and Paralympic level. In the USA in ’84 Team GB was thrashed in wheelchair slalom because our power chairs were slow and unfit for purpose. In 1988 we returned with the “badger” and lifted all the key medals, much to the amazement of the dominant international teams of the time.
Inspired by Colin, supported by Nottingham County Council and the “poly”, the Robin Hood Games and the Sherwood Games appeared on the international calendar of events. Anybody involved in international disability sport in the 70s, 80s or 90s knows how much those Games contributed to the development of CP sports world wide. So many of the great CP Paralympians from every continent made their international debut in Nottingham. So many coaches, administrators, politicians and athletes set up their international links at those Games that have remained strong to this day. The classification manual and sports rules book of CPISRA were rewritten during the Robin Hood Games when a group of international experts sat up late into the night for a full week determined to change the world. Those Games instigated by Colin made this possible. Part of his legacy will be the way he shaped CP sports world wide for athletes and players and the structure and professionalism he brought to the international movement during the 80s and 90s specifically.
Colin was fiercely British but he was also a defender of the Home country structure. He used to bring a squad of English athletes up to the Fife Games in the 80s and he transformed a squad of average track and field athletes into a powerful and successful international force. The Notts squad are legends in CP sport and they inspired the rest of us to greater heights. Colin was an athlete’s man through and through. Athletes warmed to him and always made time for every team member. The Scottish quartet of Colin Keay, Gerry McConnell , Gordon Robertson and Jimmy Sands were very special to Colin. They were his favourite Scots and he inspired them to major successes during the Games in New York and Seoul in particular. Colin moved up through the ranks of international sport but he never forgot his roots and “his” athletes in particular. There are many to this day who will identify him as their inspiration and is there a more fitting tribute you can pay a great man?

Throughout my professional career and time as a volunteer in national and international disability sport I have been privileged to work with several very honourable people. Colin sits up there with the very best. I served Colin as secretary of the CPISRA STC during his time as chair and it was a real pleasure. In those days we did not fly to meeting venues, we took the train and boat and my goodness it took a long time. Colin believed in making the pennies go far for the best of reasons. He asked nothing of his committee that he was not prepared to do himself. In times of crisis you wanted Colin by your side and so often he was. He was such a loyal friend who really valued those who supported the CPISRA cause. Most importantly he made you feel valued and that is so important to a volunteer. It was a skill that came naturally to Colin.

Colin has been recognised by his local university, his country and the IPC for his long and distinguished career in international disability sport and correctly so. He made me an offer in 1985 to join a small group of talented international coaches, doctors and physiotherapists at a track side in Belgium. He told me we were going to change the face of CP sport worldwide and how accurate he was. That was the start of the sports technical committee of CPISRA. All of us remain friends to this day and each of us is still involved in international disability sport in some way or other. We were all inspired by Colin and driven by his passion and commitment to the CP cause. I believe we all owe him so much and perhaps had it not been for him we would not have experienced all that we have in the international movement.
Farewell Colin you have been an inspiration to us all. I personally regret not maintaining contact with you over these past few years when your health has not been all that you would have hoped for. You have been a great friend to SDS. As well as the SDS athletes, swimmers such as Adam Morley still speak highly of your kindness and support during representative Paralympic years. We are all proud to have known Colin. During this period of great loss our thoughts are with Colin’s wife Jan in particular.

Richard Brickley MBE
Scottish Disability Sport

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