The Fortnum & Mason episode has not been the only incident that has raised questions over why Paralympic athletes have been treated differently compared to their Olympic counterparts.
Having a smaller budget means ParalympicsGB has to make savings that would not be considered by Team GB – such as suits for athletes.
Team GB were provided suits for the Olympic opening ceremony and at Buckingham Palace, while Paralympic athletes wore tracksuits at both events.
“Why were we at Buckingham Palace in tracksuits, when the Olympians were provided suits?” Shaw asked on social media.
A ParalympicsGB spokesperson told BBC Sport that suits were provided to athletes for Tokyo 2020, but many did not wear them and after conducting an athlete poll, it was decided not to produce them for Paris 2024 in the name of sustainability.
Negative PR could put off brands, says Kemp, but she says those which do fund Para-sport can be richly rewarded.
“A big issue in marketing currently is the fear of cancel culture, a universal fear of getting it wrong which could stop investment,” she said.
Some brands, such as British Gas, have been praised for prominently featuring Paralympians in their adverts, while others have adapted after negative reactions.
Channel 4 was criticised for its ‘superhumans’ branding of its Paralympic coverage, with some feeling it created the impression of Paralympians being abnormal. The branding was dropped for Paris 2024, for which Channel 4 was the UK broadcaster and provided comprehensive television coverage of the Games.
“Ultimately, if you do not represent society, you are not reflecting your customers,” said Kemp.
There have been some improvements in ParalympicsGB forging an image of its own. Adidas sold dedicated Paralympic team merchandise for the first time for Paris 2024.
For now, a merger of Team GB and ParalympicsGB seems highly unlikely.
David Clarke, ParalympicsGB chief executive, told BBC Sport: “There’s no doubt that globally the Olympic movement is still far better resourced than the Paralympic movement and following a fantastically successful Paris Paralympics we would certainly hope to see this differential continue to reduce.
“Like the vast majority of nations, ParalympicsGB and Team GB are separate organisations. We are independent but work collaboratively with each other.
“Our performance speaks for itself – winning 124 medals, including 49 gold, across a record 18 different sports to finish second in the medal table at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, while campaigning for equal access to sporting opportunities for all disabled people in the UK.”