September 2002

Olympic Champion Urges Jim Rome to
‘Stop Insulting’ Chiropractic

Arlington, Va. – Olympic gold and silver medalist Derek Parra has signed a strongly-worded letter to sports radio personality Jim Rome praising the chiropractic profession for its contributions to athletes and urging Rome to “stop insulting the chiropractic profession” on his program.

Rome began his attack on the chiropractic profession in August 2001. Less than a year later, the radio host read a letter from a medical student who referred to chiropractic colleges as “voodoo school,” and the chiropractic profession as the “chiro cult.”

Parra, an Olympic speed-skating champion at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, signed the letter at the request of the American Chiropractic Association during his appearance as keynote speaker at the ACA’s annual business meeting in Kansas City, Mo., in late August.

“Saying that chiropractors ‘ruin spines for a living’ and that they practice ‘voodoo,’ for example, is off-base and extremely hurtful,” Parra’s letter stated. “Before making such derogatory comments in the future, you should investigate the stringent educational requirements necessary to become a doctor of chiropractic. I believe you will be interested to learn about the high standards members of this respected healing profession adhere to in all 50 states.”

Parra’s letter to Rome also stated, “Doctors of chiropractic have been part of the U.S. Olympic medical staff for many years. And I feel so strongly about chiropractic care myself that I brought my own chiropractor to the Olympic Games to help me prepare for my competitions.”

Rome hosts a nationally syndicated radio program that airs on approximately 130 stations throughout the United States and Canada. Rome is also the host of Fox Sports “The Last Word” show that features candid interviews with some of America’s top sports figures.

ACA is requesting that doctors of chiropractic nationwide who treat sports figures encourage them to send similar letters of protest to Rome.

For a full copy of Parra’s letter, visit ACA’s website at:
http://www.acatoday.com/hot_topics/082902.shtml

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