Start Date
19-6-2025 9:00 AM
End Date
19-6-2025 10:30 AM
Abstract
Introduction The 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, will open up the option of social participation for competitive athletes. Sport offers the fundamental opportunity to bring people with and without disabilities together and, in addition to the positive health aspects, to stimulate beneficial processes of change in terms of quality of life.
Methodology Quantitative research is chosen in order to collect well-founded and generalizable data. Three target groups are surveyed: Paralympic athletes (N=83), general population (N=700), people with disabilities (N=300).
Results This study shows that sport in general and the Paralympic Games in particular have the potential to promote inclusion. This is because sport is not only a mirror of social developments, but also a place where these are negotiated. Overall, grassroots sport is the area of society with the fewest opportunities for people with disabilities to participate. Access to competitive sport for people with disabilities is severely restricted due to insufficient sporting opportunities and a lack of accessible training facilities. Despite these challenges, competitive sport makes an important contribution to strengthening the subjective well-being of para-athletes.
Conclusions The project “The role of the Paralympics in the context of the perception of people with disabilities in sport” is characterized by application-oriented research that identifies conditions, opportunities and barriers in sport and makes an evidence-based contribution to the implementation of Article 30 of the UN CRPD.
Recommended Citation
Prof. Dr. Eghbalpour, Sina and Prof. Dr. Schirra-Weirich, Liane, "The role of the Paralympics in the context of the perception of people with disabilities in (competitive) sport" (2025). International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness. 11.
https://sword.mtu.ie/isapa/2025/day4/11
The role of the Paralympics in the context of the perception of people with disabilities in (competitive) sport
Introduction The 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, will open up the option of social participation for competitive athletes. Sport offers the fundamental opportunity to bring people with and without disabilities together and, in addition to the positive health aspects, to stimulate beneficial processes of change in terms of quality of life.
Methodology Quantitative research is chosen in order to collect well-founded and generalizable data. Three target groups are surveyed: Paralympic athletes (N=83), general population (N=700), people with disabilities (N=300).
Results This study shows that sport in general and the Paralympic Games in particular have the potential to promote inclusion. This is because sport is not only a mirror of social developments, but also a place where these are negotiated. Overall, grassroots sport is the area of society with the fewest opportunities for people with disabilities to participate. Access to competitive sport for people with disabilities is severely restricted due to insufficient sporting opportunities and a lack of accessible training facilities. Despite these challenges, competitive sport makes an important contribution to strengthening the subjective well-being of para-athletes.
Conclusions The project “The role of the Paralympics in the context of the perception of people with disabilities in sport” is characterized by application-oriented research that identifies conditions, opportunities and barriers in sport and makes an evidence-based contribution to the implementation of Article 30 of the UN CRPD.