Critical Reflective Essay On Disability And Sports

Contemporary Issues in Sports and Disability

Discuss about the Critical Reflective Essay on Disability and Sports.

The fast paced world of today is shrouded with certain set standards and societal norms and deviations from these accepted norms are generally subjected to stigmatization and discrimination. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the term disability encompasses impairments, limitations to activities and restrictions towards participation (who.int 2017). However, now the scenario has undergone a drastic change evident through the increased participation of the disabled athletes to showcase their talents and abilities in sports and physical activities. Dysfunctional deviation from normality has often been attributed to the contrasts made between the elite sports and disability sports. Classification of the disabled athletes is done on the basis of disability categories that include athletes with cerebral palsy, wheelchair athletes, amputees and others. Hence attention has been paid to this aspect considering the ethical and legal boundaries associated with the adapted physical activity to render optimal positive outcomes in the concerned population (Jespersen and McNamee 2013). The issues relevant to disability sports associated with relearning of motor skills, metabolic demands in ambulation along with other bodily changes and subsequent rehabilitation to ensure mobility, exercise and sports for people inflicted with disability are thus gaining focus and are widely argued through evidence based research (Houdijk and Janssen 2017). In the following sections I will thus strive to address the central themes and issues that govern the disability sports with particular emphasis being laid on events like Paralympics. I will also try to provide an insight on the current developments pertinent to this domain. 

The participation of the disabled athletes in the sports and games has been an issue of suspicion and apprehension for many as the handicap tag is often affixed to their physical insufficiency denouncing their individual talent. I personally got a chance to meet a swimmer amputee athlete who has successfully surpassed all the societal hurdles and has proven the conventional thought of the so called healthy persons who expressed doubts over his ability to be wrong not just once but many a times. I came to now from his and family’s experience that the journey had been never so easy until he proved his mettle in competitions by winning prestigious accolades and adulations of eminent personalities. Social acceptance and pitying over his condition thus mitigated on account of his accomplishments. In this regard a study explored the barriers and facilitators to sports participation for the physically disabled persons that has the potency to abate other secondary health conditions. Findings identified disability and health as personal barriers while contradictorily fun and health has been recognized as personal facilitators. Conversely environmental barriers emerged from lack of facilities, transport and difficulties with accessibility while social factors acted as environmental facilitators (Jaarsma et al. 2014). The dimension of faith and spirituality in disabled sport has also been cultivated in studied that added to the understanding of the aspect from a newer perspective. Till date this topic connection, religion, sport and disability has been marginalized and it is not until recently that the spiritual experience pertaining to disability sport rehabilitation has gained prominence. Empirical research observations showcased that despite initial reluctance and pessimistic view towards participation in games evolving round the trauma and onset of disability, with the passage of time disability sport enabled these personnel in their quest to reinvent their meaning and purpose of life coupled with the spiritual wellbeing (Gibbons 2016). Thus I feel that the issue of disability sports and its potential benefits are not only the sole responsibility of the International Paralympics Committee (IPC) or other disability people’s organizations who are trying relentlessly to leverage holistic changes in domestic and international policy towards disability. Promotion of disability rights is essentially considered as a matter of public diplomacy put forward through advocacy body like IPC through mutual reconciliation (Beacom and Brittain 2016). I believe that the stakeholders’ involvement, mutual cooperation is the key to achieving the desired goals for disability sports.

Common Experiences of the Disabled Athletes

The benefits of sports and associated advantages from participation in regular physical activities have long been established in case of people with or without disabilities.  Studies conducted on children with disability in relation to their participation in physical activity showed that the family support together with societal attitude influenced their participation. Thus the framing and implementation of effective strategies, interventions and policies through involvement of multiple stakeholders for facilitating participation has been recommended (Shields and Synnot 2016). I also feel that society should come forward in accepting the differences in the disabled athletes and encourage their respective talents rather than stigmatizing or keeping them aloof from normal societal events. However, most of the research has focused upon people with physical disabilities and a dearth of exploiting the projected benefits from participation in sports and games are noticed in case of the intellectually disabled persons. Evidences are scanty as well to prove the efficacy of interventions related to physical activity in such persons. The harnessing of these interventions adequately renders hope for the people with intellectual disability to experience an improved quality of life. I feel a seamless amalgamation of the health and social care services must be inculcated in the culture of sports as well to procure the optimal advantages out of such practices that essentially emphasizes on social inclusion as a guiding principle (McConkey and McConkey 2016). For enabling inclusive sport participation, independent studies have brought to the forefront and intricately examined the constraints pertinent to sport participation for people with disability. Limiting factors encompassed both interpersonal and intrapersonal types together with other factors such as that of type of disability and level of support needs. The likelihood of participation or non-participation was majorly impacted by the factors related to type of disability and level of support needs (Darcy, Lock and Taylor 2017). I firmly believe it is imperative to take into serious considerations these barriers that thwart the participation of the disabled athletes in sport events to pave the way for designing and implementation of appropriate policies by the competent authorities for empowering these people with suitable resources.

The perceptions and pre-conceived notions towards the persons with disabilities are changing rapidly nowadays on account of the active efforts and promulgation of appropriate policies and legislations to safeguard the rights of the disabled athletes participating in various events. Measures are in progress to develop their full potential in terms of effective utilization of their talents considering the mind, body and spirit. The opportunities and barriers encountered by the disabled athletes are continuously being attended now for enhancing the quality of living through alleviation of the confounding factors that might challenge their progress. Sports and adapted physical activity are incorporated as tools for bettering their lives which I find really empowering and motivating. The voices of the family members of the disabled athletes in conjunction with the practical experience of the athletes themselves are emphasized to the discourse of policy making. Application of the technological resources has been successfully done in supporting Paralympics wheelchair sport performance formally by considering the physiological and environmental factors (Griggs, Goosey-Tolfrey and Paulson 2016). For me this is a pioneering and progressive step that will encourage many future athletes to pursue their dreams. I think acknowledging and nurturing the talents of these disabled athletes rather than discriminating or stigmatizing their actions will allow for improved quality of life and better outcomes for this vulnerable population. The utility of the Paralympics games that are conducted every fourth year similar to the Olympics games may be considered in this respect. Taking a glance at the report published on exploring the legacy of the Paralympics under the backdrop of the London 2012 Paralympics and Olympic Games, I came across an interesting insight and finding. The findings of the study survey demonstrated that for the young people with disabilities, the games were inspirational and motivating evident through the positive impacts it exerted upon the self-perceptions of the concerned population (Coates and Vickerman 2016). Thus I feel it is foolish to deny the power of the Paralympics in positively influencing the minds of so many athletes afflicted by similar circumstances. Another study investigated the service quality at the 2012 London Paralympics Games based on the Paralympics athletes’ survey. The study aimed to evaluate and assess the planning, designing, execution and future implication concerning the sports mega event at the said venue. The findings revealed a very positive set of feedback for the Game organizers that further aided in future decision making (Bamford and Dehe 2016). Reviewing these responses I feel it is a very positive sign that indicates the favorability of the Paralympics games among the disabled athletes.

Future Implications for Disabled Athletes

The issue of disability and sports in the modern times though has gained attention but it is nowhere at par with the kind of responses and adulations that is received by the normal sports events with the participation of the so called able bodied athletes. I guess much of this may be attributed to the lack of media coverage, dearth of funding and sponsorship to advertise and telecast the events across the nations globally. However, recent data and research has generated a different opinion where it has been shown that the Paralympics games though slowly but steadily is gaining popularity and acceptance among the general masses. The Paralympics Games has evolved as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympics. The growth has been corroborated to the data of spectators, who viewed these games and expressed their concerns and awareness regarding the games in social media platforms and online forums (Legg and Dottori 2017). The figures and data retrieved from reliable sources are self explanatory of the fact that the previously existing gaps concerning the disability sports are satisfactorily narrowed. I am quite optimistic of the fact that in the coming days this increasing popularity will act in favor of the disabled athletes to re-establish their expectations in life. Further in this context a pertinent argument has been raised by a group of researchers on the role of media and the subsequent management to foster the history and legacy of the Paralympics games. Media management must act through rendering adequate respect and acknowledgement to the broader perspective related to the purpose of the event (Goggin and Hutchins 2017). Documentation of the reports available with respect to the stakeholders in the London 2012 Paralympics Games has referred to the government, transportation, commercial partners and security agencies among others which are largely debatable (Dowling and Legg 2017). Therefore I feel that media and the others stakeholders associated with the organization of the Paralympics sports events must be more pragmatic and holistic in their approach.

The benefits of participating in regular physical activities and sports are known to everyone. However the matter associated with the participation of the disabled athletes is often overlooked. I think the reasons are underpinned in the societal perceptions itself that fail to recognize the talents of these people who have the rights to live life in their own terms as much as a healthy person do. Social exclusion seems to be the primary barrier in their pursuit of their dreams where discrimination and stigmatizing behaviors limit their potentials to a large extent. The chances of overcoming their personal hurdles through proper access to adequate facilities seem to be bogged down under societal pressure and unfair treatments. However a little encouragement and positive influences received from the family, friends, peers and society at large the disabled athletes are capable of proving their merits. Moreover I feel the participation to sports and adapted physical activity for these athletes should be more encouraged to curb the rates of morbidity apart from the disability because of sedentary lifestyles in such persons. The correct blend of personal zeal, motivation and a little encouragement received from the society can trigger the success in the disabled athletes. In this regard, I would like to mention the name of track and field athlete Oscar Pistorius, famous as ‘Blade Runner’ who etched his name in the pages of history as the first amputee athlete to compete in the Olympics that took place in London, 2012 (biography.com 2017). Oscar’s participation in the Olympics alongside the able bodied athletes had generated quite a buzz, but what I find most interesting and commendable is his determination and courage to face the situation despite all the odds. The initiatives taken by the Paralympics Committee and other humanitarian organizations are noteworthy to facilitate the improved lives of the disabled athletes, but society’s outlook must change as well. Public awareness campaigns must be carried out by using media as powerful medium.  I am looking forward to the days when the celebration of these disabled athletes will be celebrated with similar enthusiasm and appreciation as is done in case of normal sports events.

References

Bamford, D. and Dehe, B., 2016. Service quality at the London 2012 games–a paralympics athletes survey. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 33(2), pp.142-159.

Beacom, A. and Brittain, I., 2016. Public Diplomacy and the International Paralympic Committee: Reconciling the Roles of Disability Advocate and Sports Regulator. Diplomacy & Statecraft, 27(2), pp.273-294.

Biography.com, 2017. Oscar Pistorius. [online] Biography.com. Available at: https://www.biography.com/people/oscar-pistorius-20910935 [Accessed 19 Apr. 2017].

Coates, J. and Vickerman, P.B., 2016. Paralympic legacy: exploring the impact of the Games on the perceptions of young people with disabilities. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 33(4), pp.338-357.

Darcy, S., Lock, D. and Taylor, T., 2017. Enabling inclusive sport participation: Effects of disability and support needs on constraints to sport participation. Leisure Sciences, 39(1), pp.20-41.

Dowling, M. and Legg, D., 2017. Stakeholders and the Paralympic Games. In Managing the Paralympics (pp. 21-47). Palgrave Macmillan UK.

Gibbons, T., 2016. Book review: Sports, Religion and Disability.

Goggin, G. and Hutchins, B., 2017. Media and the Paralympics: Progress, Visibility, and Paradox. In Managing the Paralympics (pp. 217-239). Palgrave Macmillan UK.

Griggs, K., Goosey-Tolfrey, V. and Paulson, T., 2016. Supporting Paralympic wheelchair sport performance through technological, physiological and environmental considerations. Annals of Human Biology, pp.1-2.

Houdijk, H. and Janssen, T.W., 2017. Disability and rehabilitation on the move: mobility, exercise and sports for people with physical disabilities.

Jaarsma, E.A., Dijkstra, P.U., Geertzen, J.H.B. and Dekker, R., 2014. Barriers to and facilitators of sports participation for people with physical disabilities: A systematic review. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 24(6), pp.871-881.

Jespersen, E. and McNamee, M.J., 2013. Ethics, disability and sports. Routledge.

Legg, D. and Dottori, M., 2017. Marketing and Sponsorship at the Paralympic Games. In Managing the Paralympics (pp. 263-288). Palgrave Macmillan UK.

McConkey, R. and McConkey, R., 2016. Sports and intellectual disability: a clash of cultures?. Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 10(5), pp.293-298.

Shields, N. and Synnot, A., 2016. Perceived barriers and facilitators to participation in physical activity for children with disability: a qualitative study. BMC pediatrics, 16(1), p.9.

Who.int, 2017. Disabilities. [online] World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/ [Accessed 19 Apr. 2017].