Looking globally, the buzz of the Paralympic Games is drawing in spectators and viewers worldwide. The Paralympic Games are the most prolific disability sporting event, centring the world’s attention on sport and disability and promoting inclusion and opportunity for people with disability in sports.
In anticipation of the Paralympic Games, we were interested in exploring why participation rates remain low and how people with disability participate in specific sports.
When we talk about participation, we need to first understand how far views and perceptions of people with disability have come.
There are many models of disability; however, we’re focusing on two: the medical model and the social model.
The medical model of disability views a person’s disability as something that needs to be ‘cured’ or ‘treated’. In contrast, the social model of disability shifts this perspective. It argues that disability is more about the interactions between an individual and their environment that are typically filled with social, economic, and physical barriers.
What these models tell us is that participation in sports is largely affected by attitudes and awareness. Namely, there are still outdated views towards people with disability that lean into myths and stereotypes. Research found that 75% of people with a disability in Australia want to participate in sport and recreation but feel there are limited opportunities.
Other barriers to participation include:
Take the Paralympic Games, for example. The number of athletes participating in the Olympic Games is more than double the number participating in the Paralympic Games, with 10,500 and 4,400 athletes respectively. With major shifts in thinking and pushes for inclusion, why is the disparity still so prominent?
So, how do people with disability participate in sports? What is being done to foster genuine and meaningful inclusion?
Inclusive programs that cater to a wide range of abilities can help bridge the gap, especially programs that are created in collaboration with people with disability. US Youth Soccer’s TOPSoccer program is a great example: it’s a program that provides opportunities to children and adults with intellectual, emotional, or physical disabilities to play soccer.
Community is a core part of any sport, which rings true for disability sports. Having communities and supportive networks can provide the encouragement and resources people with disability need to participate in sports.
Wheelchair rugby athlete Brayden Foxley-Conolly can attest to this. At 10 years old, he was approached by coach and disability advocate Peter Sumpter, who encouraged Brayden to try wheelchair basketball.
Brayden was resistant at first, but thanks to his mum and coach’s encouragement, he fell in love with the sport and blossomed quickly—eventually finding his way to wheelchair rugby, where he will compete at the Paralympic Games. “It wasn’t until I joined sport that I opened my eyes to really accept my disability,” said Brayden.
Through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and initiatives such as the Aussie Athlete Fund, Brayden can fund his athletic journey, covering the costs of his sports wheelchair (approximately AUD$15,000).
Modified or adapted sports have allowed more and more people with disability to participate in sports.
Some sports may use modified equipment to enable participation, or they may modify the game/design/environment to foster inclusion. For example, wheelchair rugby is played indoors on a basketball court with a volleyball.
Inclusion is not just about equality, it’s also about equity. This means not only should sports provide fair and equal opportunities, but they should also recognise that everyone is different and will have different needs.
That’s why it’s important to recognise that while two individuals may both have vision impairments, their level of impairment may differ. Enter para-sport classification.
Typically, disability sports are categorised into para-sport classifications. Classification allows sporting bodies to determine which athletes are eligible to participate in sports and ensure that athletes are similarly grouped together to ensure fairness during competition.
It’s similar to grouping athletes by age or gender. Para-sport classification is a requirement of the Paralympic Games, and athletes competing at the Games must undergo a classification assessment and hold a sport class in their chosen sport.
In wheelchair rugby, for example, each player receives points based on their functional ability. Points range from 0.5 (the least physical function) to 3.5 (the most physical function). Brayden Foxley-Conolly has a wheelchair classification of 3.5, which tells us he has more physical function.
For any athlete, the path to success is paved with challenges and adversity. For athletes with disability, these challenges are tenfold due to barriers that limit inclusion and opportunities to participate.
As we look forward to the Paralympic Games, let us remember these barriers, celebrate the achievements of all the athletes, and commit to continuing to build a more inclusive world.
There are around 4.4 million Australians who have disability or lived experiences of disability. That’s nearly ⅕ of the population (18%). However, only one in four people with disability in Australia participate in sports and recreation.
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