to complain about discrimination in sport

[ifyoucantstandtheheat]

Name changed to avoid being identified.....
DS who has just started secondary school obtained a very high level in a particular sport (national level competition).

He was, at a young age, spotted by people within the sports governing body and was invited to attend training days in the sport. His talent is undoubted but there was a degree of scepticism over whether he had the mental toughness to compete at the top level because he sometimes got upset (as do a lot of other children!)

Last year a number of things happened and our son was diagnosed with high functioning autism which in part explains the reasons he got upset when he did in the sport. He suffered from anxiety which was completely unrelated to the sport and was unable to attend one of the training days at last minute because he wasn't well enough. I was honest with the organiser who holds a high position within the sport and emailed him an apology (I didn't phone because I knew he would be unavailable to talk to), I explained the diagnosis and the anxiety and said that it didn't reflect my son's love of the sport. The organiser did not acknowledge my email and my son has not been invited to any further training at this level.

AIBU to feel that this is discriminatory? Even if there was a strike out policy at missing one session (which there isn't) shouldn't they make an allowance for one missed session for this reason? Is it unreasonable for me to assume that DS has been dropped because of his disability? I want to complain but want to know what others think?

Sorry that was an aside, about UK sporting achievements and lack of value placed on it in education.

witchend I get all of that, I really do. But my point is that the perceived mental weakness here is to do with the disability.

My son got upset when he was younger when other people broke the rules and got away with it because in his mind people don't break rules. That's his ASD. In training he hangs back because he has slow processing speed so he wants to check he understands what's being asked. He performs the task as well as the others, a top coach has told me no one doubts his 'talent'.

Now he/ we understand this he is actually more mentally tough as the next person. He is able to emotionally disconnect and still play well.

The last time he competed he came back from behind against a tough opponent. He was the most emotionally stable child there.

I guess the proof will be in the pudding if he carries on playing as well as he is without being emotional. I'm just bothered that with the knowledge of the autism the sport have dropped him with no further word. It doesn't sit comfortably with me.

whydidIeatthat it's shocking , luckily my DS has gone to a high school with a high emphasis on sport.