Polish Paralympic Sports in the Opinion of Athletes and Coaches in Retrospective Studies.

Joanna Sobiecka,Marta Kądziołka,Paweł Kruszelnicki,Anna Zwierzchowska,Wojciech Gawroński,Ryszard Plinta

doi:10.3390/ijerph16244927

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the limitations observed in Polish Paralympic sport depending on the environment in which athletes train on a daily basis. The study included 581 persons divided into two basic groups. The first group consists of athletes (n = 324) and coaches (n = 88) appointed to the national team by associations and unions providing sports training exclusively for athletes with disabilities. The second group consisted of athletes with disabilities (n = 146) and their coaches (n = 23), who work in national sports associations working for both able-bodied and disabled people. The study used the diagnostic survey method with a questionnaire developed by Sobiecka. The difficulties indicated by the respondents referred to various aspects related to the activity in professional sport. Particularly emphasised difficulties were related to organizational and financial limitations as well as the management and coaching staff. At the same time, it was demonstrated that the environment was a differentiating factor between the studied groups of athletes and coaches.

Highlights

It is well known that the successes of Paralympians are influenced by the work of the athletes themselves, and by the coaching staff and the standards of conditions in the period of preparation for the Paralympic Games [1]
The aim of the research was to identify and stratify the limitations that occur in Polish Paralympic sport depending on the environment in which athletes train on a daily basis
Contact was established with all coaches of the Paralympian teams in athletes and their coaches appointed to the national team in particular sports was prepared

Summary

Introduction

It is well known that the successes of Paralympians are influenced by the work of the athletes themselves, and by the coaching staff and the standards of conditions in the period of preparation for the Paralympic Games [1]. An important role is played by regular training in clubs (in addition to national team training camps) where disabled athletes practice their sports on a daily basis. Both systemic and legislative solutions are important, which in consequence requires the creation of appropriate conditions in various areas of functioning of athletes with disabilities. These include the organization of training and sporting events [3], coaching staff working with athletes [4,5], including psychologists [6], sports infrastructure [7], equipment and personal orthopaedic sports supplies [8,9,10]. In the opinion of Blauwet and Iezzoni, Rimmer et al, and Sahin and Lexell [11,12,13], it is important to ensure adequate funding and adequate marketing for sport for people with disabilities [9,14,15]

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion