Investigating the Nexus of Paralympic Bodies With Medicine

Abstract

Medical discourse regarding impairment and (dis)ability dominate assumptions of Paralympic sport. This research examined the lived experience of the first author, a sport physiotherapist and veteran of many Paralympic Games, to consider the experience of sport medicine with Para sport athletes. Self-ethnography and a theoretical lens informed by a human rights approach to disability were used. Structural violence was utilized to explore the social structure of medical professions and the impact on Paralympic sport. Data involved a retrospective journal of the first author. Thematic analysis was conducted and these themes are presented; social potential of sport medicine, medical authority, aversive ableism. The research draws attention to structural violence in Paralympic sport and the potential of sport medicine to be an agent of change.

It's classified: Classification, disability rights and Commonwealth Games

“…Because of its historic and insidious nature, ableism like other forms of systemic marginalization, like racism, sexism, and ageism, falls under societal radar. Overt and more subtle forms of ableism, exist in sport and in fact in sport medicine ( 2 , 5 , 24 , 25 ). As identified by retired Paralympic, Howe ( 26 ) noted that more nuanced forms of ableism, subtle forms of prejudice “confronts me and those like me daily” (p. 6).…”

“…Mainstreaming or ableizing para sport by “classifying out” athletes with higher needs fuels regressive social understandings of bodily difference. Conceptually, ableism locates bodies with physical, intellectual, and sensory differences as problematic, as non-normative, and imbues these bodies with notions of flawed or inferior performative abilities ( 5 , 6 ). On fields of play around the globe, ableization ultimately stymies para sport participation and high-performance development.…”

Critical Friends, Dialogues of Discomfort, and Researcher Reflexivity in the Sociology of Sport

“…Moreover, the critical friends approach has its roots in education (Appleton, 2011;Costa & Kallick, 1993;Schneider & Parker, 2013) but, in our opinion, requires further flushing out in the sociology of sport. Previous sport scholars have utilized the critical friends framework as a methodological tool related to data analysis (Gale et al, 2019), nuanced discussion of data derived from reflexive notes (Quinn & Misener, 2023), and theoretical rigor (Allison & Pope, 2021). We believe that such an approach also has purchase for helping researchers develop their reflexive capacity.…”