Rejecting the Medical Model of Disability in Belarusian Sports Law: A Long Way to Nowhere?

Abstract

The article deals with the Belarusian legislation and international legal acts in order to answer the question whether the rejection of the medical model of disability is implemented in Belarusian sports law. The author studies the concept of a disabled person, models of disability and legal regulation of adaptive sports from the point of view of sports law and human rights. It is proved that despite the declaration of non-discrimination of persons with disabilities, the problems associated with the medical model of disability remain very relevant in Belarus. The Belarusian legislation uses the concept of formal equality, but it is supplemented by victimization of disability and objectification of persons with disabilities. The emphasis is shifted to the charity nature of medical care, which brings us back to the medical model. The article argues the importance of adopting a Draft Law on Adaptive Physical Culture and Adaptive Sports to eliminate the existing shortcomings of the legal regulation of sports for persons with disabilities. The author also emphasizes that equalization of opportunities in sports should be defined much wider than providing sports facilities, ensuring equal conditions and opportunities for the development of adaptive movement in relation to the conditions and opportunities for the development of non-disabled sports and non-disabled physical culture. Equalization of opportunities should include a freedom of adaptability as a key category and one of the basic principles of the adaptive movement.