Inclusion through Sport: A Critical View on Paralympic Legacy from a Historical Perspective

Abstract

Through its commitment to universalism, the inclusion of disabled people has become an increasingly prominent objective of the Paralympic Games. To achieve this, the organisers rely on the notion of legacy, which refers to the expected effects of major sporting events on host countries. This notion was initially founded on material aspects and then took an interest in certain intangible sides that were spotted within the organiser’s goals and studied in literature. Building on the historical literature about the Paralympic movement’s institutionalization, this article shows that this institutionalization took place in a context of tension between disabled communities, depending on their proximity to the Olympic model. What is the impact of this historical legacy in terms of inclusion of the greater number? By shedding light on the historical perspective of the obstacles encountered in the creation of an ‘all-disabilities’ sporting event, this article aims to discuss and challenge the current perspective on the inclusive legacy of the Paralympic Games.

Innovation for Positive Sustainable Legacy From Mega Sports Events: Virtual Reality as a Tool for Social Inclusion Legacy for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

“…The social ecological model theory was more evident in the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games, whereby the generation that experienced the MSE participated in sport more frequently than other generations who did not (Aizawa et al, 2018). Dickson et al (2011) suggested that there is a dearth in Paralympic legacy research, and focus to date has been directed toward identifying barriers to attitudinal change toward disabled individuals and mechanisms to increase social inclusion (Ferez et al, 2020). Specifically, the Paralympic Games are organized in parallel with the Olympic Games, in part to foster legacies of inclusion for host nations, giving athletes with physical disabilities the opportunity to inspire other people living with disabilities (Gold and Gold, 2007).…”

Narrowing the Definition of Social Inclusion in Sport for People with Disabilities through a Scoping Review

“…Unfortunately, the role of marketing Paralympic sport is the first perspective that fails in most countries. But the media is one of the catalysts for the commercial perspective of Paralympic sport and funding from governing bodies [ 41 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 ] that can achieve change.…”

Boundary Spanning in Sport for Development: Opening Transdisciplinary and Intersectoral Perspectives

“…In critiquing the leveraging effects of Paralympic Games upon grassroots and elite sport participation, the authors utilize the literature to demonstrate that barriers and forms of exclusion depend on the type of disability (e.g., intellectual disability, sensory impairment). Ferez et al (2020) also highlight that the extent of media coverage of Paralympic performance depends on the disabilities of the athletes. They call for more inclusive and encompassing representations of disabled sporting bodies that moves away from the exclusive and exclusionary coverage of a small number of high-level athletes often framed according to notions of their able-bodiedness.…”

“…The inclusion and the visibility of disabled athletes has recently become a crucial goal for every organizing committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Sylvain Ferez, Sébastien Ruffié, Hélène Joncheray, Anne Marcellini, Sakis Pappous, and Rémi Richard take a critical look at the Paralympic movement from a sociohistorical perspective (Ferez et al, 2020). In critiquing the leveraging effects of Paralympic Games upon grassroots and elite sport participation, the authors utilize the literature to demonstrate that barriers and forms of exclusion depend on the type of disability (e.g., intellectual disability, sensory impairment).…”