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Barriers to Participation
There are numerous barriers to participation in sports for persons with a
disability, including viewing oneself as an athlete, acceptance by people in
the sports environment, access to coaching and programs, and financial
barriers.
Viewing Self as an Athlete
Sometimes it is difficult for a person with a disability to get started
in sports, to believe in their abilities.
 | What factors could make an individual with a disability
hesitate to participate in sports? |
| When does an individual with a disability who participates in sport
become an athlete? Do persons with a disability
become athletes simply by
virtue of participating in sports, or is the
athlete identity dependent upon level of commitment or level of
competition? |
Acceptance by Teammates, Coaches,
Officials, and Sports Administrators
Acceptance as a member of a sports team usually must be earned through
work ethic, performances, and sportsmanship. A positive example from the
team coach often sets the stage for acceptance by other people in the sports
community.
Acceptance by teammates:
| Do team members with and without disabilities share
responsibility for the success of the team? |
| Do team members with and without disabilities support and
cheer for each other? Do they know about each other's goals in sports? |
| Do team members with and without disabilities hang out
together at practices, competitions, and social events? |
Acceptance by coaches:
| Do coaches treat their able-bodied athletes and athletes with a
disability the same? |
| Do coaches accept the athlete with a disability as an athlete
first and a disability second? |
Acceptance by sport administrators:
| Do sports administrators make decisions that facilitate
inclusion in sport programs? For example, do they adopt policies that
facilitate the eligibility of athletes with a disability? |
| Do sports administrators make efforts to recognize the
accomplishments of athletes with a disability? |
Acceptance by officials:
| Do officials accommodate disability when officiating
competitions and when making judgments about rule infractions? |
| How can officials avoid "sympathy" decisions when judging
athletes with a disability? |
Access to Quality Coaching, Programs,
Sports Sciences Services, and Facilities
Access to quality coaching, programs, and facilities is improving because
of the Americans with Disabilities Act (see the "Laws"
section of this web site for more information). However, it isn't
possible to legislate attitudes. Many coaches and program directors
still find it difficult to view athletes with a disability as deserving of
their attention and expertise.
Access to quality coaching.
Athletes with a disability need coaches with expertise in the sport,
sufficient knowledge of disability to adapt training methods and equipment,
and knowledge of disability sport rules.
| Where do athletes with a disability find competent coaching,
especially athletes who play disability-specific sports such as goalball,
quad rugby, or sledge hockey? |
| Which coaching expertise is most important - sport expertise
or disability knowledge? |
| What coach education programs are available in disability sports? |
Access to programs. Coaches of "regular"
teams have understandable concerns about integrating athletes with a
disability into sports practices. Athletes with a disability may
require more space in a swimming pool or gym, thus reducing the total number
of athletes that can be accommodated in a practice
session. Coaches worry whether attention to the disabled athlete will
have a negative impact on coaching for non-disabled athletes. Coaches
also worry about the safety of both "abled" and disabled athletes.
| What are the advantages of inclusion, and do they outweigh the
disadvantages? |
| What data are available about safety risks to "abled" and
disabled athletes on regular sports teams? |
| What methods are effective in promoting positive attitudes among
coaches toward inclusion? |
Access to sport sciences services. Athletes with a disability benefit
from sport sciences services such as exercise physiology, biomechanics,
sport psychology, and sports medicine.
| Where should athletes who use prostheses and mobility equipment seek
help with equipment selection, use, and maintenance? |
| Which training and conditioning methods are optimal for
athletes with a disability? |
| Which techniques for performing sports skills result in
the best
performances and least injuries? |
| Which mental training methods are most beneficial to athletes
with a disability? |
| How can athletes with a disability access quality medical and
athletic training care for their sports injuries? |
Access to facilities. The physical
accessibility of sports facilities is the primary concern.
| Can the sports facility be accessed via public transportation
on a convenient schedule? |
| Are practice and competition facilities accessible to athletes
with mobility limitations, sensory disabilities, and cognitive disabilities? |
| Do competition facilities accommodate spectators with a
disability? |
| Does the staff and coaching personnel at the facility welcome
athletes with a disability? |
Financial Barriers
Athletes with a disability frequently incur greater costs associated with
sports participation than do non-disabled athletes. In some sports,
they must pay for special equipment such as a custom-made wheelchair for
road racing or for tennis - a $3,000-$5,000 price tag is not unusual. Some
athletes need personal assistance to enable their participation in sports -
who pays that bill? The cost of insurance for both athletes and sports
events is higher. And athletes with a disability frequently must travel
further and pay more to enter sports contests than their non-disabled peers.
These problems are exacerbated for the many adults with a disability who are
either unemployed or underemployed.
| What sources of funding and sponsorships are available to athletes
with a disability? |
| Are increased insurance costs reasonable? Do insurance
companies have reliable data that indicate athletes with a disability are
less or more likely to be injured, or that the cost of managing those
injuries is different than for non-disabled athletes? |
| Should athletes with a disability be able to qualify for
college sports scholarships? Under what conditions? In which sports? |
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