Barriers Affecting Disabled People in Sport Today

People with disabilities have much to offer the world of sport. As well as the top disabled sportspeople, there are many ordinary disabled people who can and do benefit from sport. Sport allows everybody to stay healthy and to meet people. However, people with disabilities do face serious obstacles to participation in sport. Society continues to discriminate against, handicap and impose barriers on disabled people. Also it is interesting to know that as much as three quarters of disabled adults rely on state benefits as their main source of income they are also financially disadvantaged, which multiples barriers to participation. The 'disabled' are not all the same, but a mixture of people with a range of disabilities including deafness, sight impairment, amputation, paraplegia, cerebral palsy and learning difficulties.

Elite athletes with a disability competed for the first time for medals in the Commonwealth Games in 2002, but much more still needs to be done if disabled people are to enjoy the same sporting opportunities as the rest of the population. A survey taken out by Sport England in the same year reveals that people with disabilities must overcome significant problems if they are to enjoy anything like the same access to sporting activity s the non-disabled population. Amongst the results, Sport England discovered that just over 50% of the disabled population had taken part in any kind of sporting activity in the last month before the survey. This is 24% less than non-disabled people. Looking at the experiences of disabled people who take part in sport, the study found that: Of those disabled adults who participated in sport in the 12 months before the survey, 65% would like to play more. Also a negative experience in sport due to their health problem or disability was reported by 14% of disabled adults.

The overall conclusion of the report is that rather than concentrating on increasing the supply of suitable facilities or providing adapted equipment, which have been the usual responses to this problem, more needs to be done to provide people with a disability with credible information on the sports and physical activities that they might be able to do given the nature of their disability. There are currently seven national disability sports associations, which are united by the English Federation of Disability Sport, a charity founded in 1999. The associations are: Disability Sport England (DSE), British Deaf Sports Council, British Blind Sport, Cerebral Palsy Sport, British Wheelchair Sports Foundation, British Amputee and Les Autres Sports Organisation, the English Sports Association for People with a Learning Disability.

Traditionally, disability has been viewed from a medical perspective. People with disabilities have been considered as dependant and passive rather than independent and self-governing, probably because they have been supported by various carers and professionals. This limited and limiting view has more recently been updated with a social view which recognises that attitudes, assumptions, myths and stereotyping, along with inadequately deigned environments all impose limitations on disabled people. Organisations, which are developed by and for non-disabled people, are now seen as the main sources of discrimination.

Identifying the Barriers

It is not always possible for disabled people to go to events. Transport to facilities may be difficult. This is because venues may be too far away for them to travel and modes of transport for them are limited, depending on their disability. There may not be suitable doors and ramps at entrances to buildings. Modifying buildings for disabled people can be expensive, so therefore most buildings lack correct access. Also plans for facilities, funding and events do not always take account of needs of the competitors and spectators with disabilities.

Sports centres and clubs do not automatically make provision for everyone, including people with disabilities. Governing bodies do not usually hold events for disabled people within the able bodied championships. People with disabilities may have had little opportunity in the past to develop their sporting skills. This is because integration of school pupils with disabilities into physical education lessons presents many challenges. Also disabled people may not be able to afford the coast of taking part in sport. This is because as previously stated three quarters of the disabled population rely on state benefits and do not have much disposable income.

Also disabled people face the one of the same barriers women face. This barrier is the media. Women have a lot less media coverage compared to men; however the disabled have even less than that. If there are many more sporting role models for the disabled, such as Tanni Grey Thompson and Ade Adepitan, they will be encouraged to participate more and aspire to be more like them.

What's Being Done?

The Sports Council aims to ensure equality of opportunity for people with disabilities to take part in sport and recreation at the level of their choice. They have seen main objectives:

• To raise the profile of people with disabilities in sport.
• To make sure plans for sport include the needs of people with disabilities.
• To provide opportunities for people with disabilities to take part in sport.
• To improve access to sport for people with disabilities.
• To encourage involvement for people with disabilities in international sport.
• To use all resources and to seek extra fiancé
• To make sure sport meets the needs of people with disabilities.

Our local council is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and providing equal access to employment opportunities, services and facilities for everyone within the community. People who work in the public sector have to consider the impact of their work on disabled people, and take action to tackle disability inequality. This should means that disabled people have better employment opportunities and do not come across discrimination when using a service. It should also help promote positive attitudes towards disabled people in everyday life.

The Disability Sport Wales National Community Development Programme is a joint initiative between the Sports Council for Wales, the Federation of Disability Sport Wales and the 22 local authorities across Wales. The scheme is aimed at developing quality community based sporting and recreational opportunities for disabled people throughout Wales. The programme is promoted and delivered through a network of Disability Sport Wales Development Officers located across every Local Authority in Wales. Disability Sport Wales aims to create new clubs and give professional advice and support to improve existing clubs, increase the number of disabled people who actively participate in sports clubs, groups and sessions. Also to improve the quality and number of coaches and volunteers within disability sport through coach education and other systems and create new and further develop existing opportunities for disabled people to compete in sport at local, regional and national level. Another of their aims is to work closely with the Federation's National Performance Manager ensuring that individuals with potential are given the opportunity to train and, where appropriate, compete to the highest standards. Another of their 'missions' is to ensure that Wales maintains the Nations current medal winning achievements and continues to support and contribute toward Great Britain Teams in Paralympic, Deaflympic and Intellectual Disability sport They aim to do this by delivering an athlete centered programme ensuring that elite athletes reach their full potential at the very highest standards of performance within disability sport.