POYNTON swimming star Daniel Pepper’s dashed hopes of competing in the Paralympics have been boosted by the intervention of Mencap.

The charity is calling for a ban on athletes with learning disabilities to be overturned.

The ban was imposed in 2000 when members of the victorious Spanish basketball team falsely claimed to have a learning disability.

Despite the ongoing anger and disappointment of the athletes, the ban remains in place until sporting bodies are able to agree on a suitable registering system.

Nineteen-year-old Pepper is one of Britain’s most gifted swimmers in elite learning disability sport and returned from last year’s World Championships with seven gold medals, three silvers and a bronze from individual and team events.

He currently holds four world and nine British records in an array of swimming events.

He said: "I just want to race as fast and hard as I can. There would be nothing better than competing in the Paralympics. I want to go to London 2012 and hold onto my 100m world record."

This month’s International Paralympics Committee (IPC) meeting, at which the ban may be discussed, could determine the future of international learning disability sport.

Mencap, Pepper and his family want the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to work with the governing bodies of sport to make funding available immediately in order for athletes to be fully trained to compete in London 2012.

Pepper’s mother Julie said: "This is a heartbreaking situation because Danis so talented. My son was on the World Class programme and would have been selected for the Paralympics.

"When he heard about the ban and the cut to all funding, he was shattered. He refused to talk about it for fear of being brought to tears."

Dame Jo Williams, Mencap chief executive, said: "It is unjustifiable that elite athletes with a learning disability like Daniel are banned from competing in the Paralympic Games.

"Their Paralympic dream has been snatched away through no fault of their own.

"Mencap wants to see the ban lifted and appropriate funding put into place immediately, otherwise these brilliant athletes will not be able to compete in London 2012.

"This would be hugely embarrassing for London and a terrible disgrace."

Thousands of pounds in funding has been cut as a result of the ban, disqualifying elite athletes with a learning disability from lottery funding.