Inclusive Sport Research Articles

Inspiring Factors Among University Students in Joining Sports Activities and Clubs in Hezhou, China

This qualitative study explores the inspiring factors driving university students to actively participate in sports activities and clubs at Hezhou University, China. Against the backdrop of Hezhou University's rich history and commitment to academic excellence, the research employs in-depth interviews with 40 students from various disciplines. The thematic analysis reveals three main motivating themes: personal motivations, social influences, and perceived benefits. Personal motivations encompass students' desires for health and fitness, skill development, and stress relief. Social influences, including peer encouragement, role models, and social interaction, highlight the importance of a supportive social environment. Perceived benefits, such as personal growth, a sense of belonging, and recognition, showcase the multifaceted advantages associated with sports engagement. The implications of the findings emphasize the role of universities in promoting health and well-being by prioritizing diverse sports opportunities.Institutions can support skill development through resources and coaching, foster a supportive social environment, and recognize students' achievements to sustain motivation. The study also underscores the transferable skills acquired through sports engagement, advocating for their integration into students' academic and professional lives. Universities are recommended to tailor marketing strategies to resonate with identified motivating factors, fostering inclusive sports engagement. While the study contributes valuable insights, future research should explore challenges in sports participation and investigate long-term impacts. Understanding inspiring factors enhances universities' ability to create an environment that promotes physical, personal, and social development among students.

The Role of Sports in Promoting Social Inclusion and Health in Marginalized Communities

Objective: This study aims to explore the role of sports in promoting social inclusion and health within marginalized communities. Methods and Materials: A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews to gather in-depth insights from participants. Individuals from various marginalized communities, including ethnic minorities, low-income groups, and those with disabilities, were purposefully sampled. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved, with interviews being transcribed verbatim and analyzed using NVivo software. A thematic analysis approach was used to identify and categorize recurring themes and patterns in the data. Results: The study identified three main themes: social inclusion, health and well-being, and personal development and growth. Participants reported that sports participation significantly enhanced their social networks, community cohesion, and broke down social barriers, fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment. Physical health benefits included improved fitness and reduced chronic diseases, while mental health improvements encompassed stress relief, anxiety reduction, and mood enhancement. Sports also facilitated personal development by fostering leadership skills, teamwork, and providing educational and career opportunities. Conclusion: Sports play a crucial role in promoting social inclusion and health within marginalized communities. The findings underscore the multifaceted benefits of sports participation, including enhanced social connections, improved physical and mental health, and personal empowerment. The study suggests that increasing access to inclusive sports programs and addressing barriers to participation can further amplify these benefits.

Gender equity in sport from the perspective of European women athletes and sport managers, physical education teachers and sport coaches.

For years, gender inequality has conditioned women's participation in sport, exposing them to difficult situations and numerous barriers to face. However, no previous research has analyzed the situation of women in sport from the perspective of the athletes themselves, or from the perspective of the coaches, teachers or managers who work with them. This study examines the perspectives of European women athletes, sports managers, physical education teachers, and sports coaches, on gender equity in sports across six European countries: Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. The research design was consistent with a critical realist epistemology, and the sampling method was non-probabilistic by convenience. A total of 42 female athletes (mean age: 24.37 ± 8.27 years old; mean sport experience: 6.67 ± 7.76 years) and 45 sports managers, physical education teachers or coaches (mean age: 47.00 ± 11.99 years old; mean sport experience: 9.62 ± 10.60 years), participated in six focus groups in the same countries, in groups of 6 to 10 participants per focus group. Focus groups were conducted to stimulate collective discussions, build upon and question ideas, and reach a consensus on questions drawn up by a group of experts, following previous methodologies. The data analysis involved transcribing, translating, and contextualizing the focus group recordings into English. Inductive thematic analysis, reflexive thematic analysis, and codes and themes within the data were created using NVivo 12 Pro. The main topics discussed by the female athletes were "gender inequality in general and in sport," "barriers to gender equity," "reasons for abandonment," "needs," "environment role models" and "tools for the gender equity in sport." The main topics discussed by the sports managers, physical education teachers, and coaches were "gender inequality in general," "gender inequality in sports," "tools" and "reasons, motives, drivers." The results of the study revealed that gender inequality in sports is influenced by a broader social context, where stereotypes, biases, and discrimination persist. The participants also highlighted the challenges, barriers, and needs that women athletes face in their careers, such as a lack of resources, support, visibility, and recognition. Moreover, the participants suggested some strategies to promote gender equity in sports, such as increasing investment, awareness, and education, creating policies and legislation, fostering women's leadership and role modeling, and developing mixed and inclusive sports projects. According to athletes and sports managers/teachers/coaches, gender inequality is still present in sport. There are barriers and challenges that need to be addressed such as lack of resources, visibility, and recognition for female athletes. Among the strategies that can be used to reverse this situation are increasing investment, awareness, and education, creating policies and legislation, fostering women's leadership, and developing mixed and inclusive sport projects.

SOCIALIZATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE FIELD OF PHYSICAL CULTURE AND SPORTS IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT

The relevance of the research lies in the analysis of the problem of creating conditions for an accessible environment for physical activity and the manifestation of their capabilities in various aspects, the inclusion of people with disabilities in the active life of society. Involving people with disabilities in inclusive sports implies training and competitive activities, participation in events as part of a panel of judges, establishing communication, as well as, taking into account personal achievements, the opportunity to participate in international competitions in professional and Paralympic sports. The main idea of involving people with disabilities in physical culture and sports is not a struggle for victory and results, but uniting people with disabilities, expanding the boundaries of their capabilities and socializing in society - this is a very important aspect of the modern society development. This article examines currently important problem of socializing the disabled people in the field of physical culture and sports in competitive activities. Based on theoretical research methods, we studied and systematized the factors influencing the socialization of people with disabilities in physical activity. The article provides recommendations on how to organize work with people with disabilities, taking into account their physical and psychological conditions. Until today, the problems of this very significant group of people have been under insufficient attention. But, with the gradual development of the society towards greater humanization, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the World Program of Action for People with Disabilities and the UN Standard Rules on the implementation of equal opportunities for people with disabilities were developed and adopted. Most countries have also adopted laws that draws attention to the problems faced by people with disabilities.

Treating Geriatric Sports Injury Among Pickleball Players: A Narrative Review of an Exercise Craze Among Seniors.

The sudden and enormous popularity of pickleball has included a surprising and large contingent of geriatric players. Similar to tennis and badminton, pickleball is a game with a short learning curve that offers low-impact cardiovascular benefits. Unlike tennis, most injuries in pickleball are sustained by older rather than younger players. In fact, pickleball-related injuries increase with increasing age. Such injuries include strains, sprains, joint pain, falls, and fractures. The most affected joints are the wrists, shoulders, knees, and ankles. Clinicians can advise their older pickleball patients on strategies and tips to minimize the risk of injury. This may be particularly important because many older individuals playing pickleball today were previously sedentary. Older people may be attracted to pickleball because it is an inclusive sport with a high socialization factor. Nevertheless, pickleball can deliver an excellent cardiovascular workout and it may be an example of a successful way to promote exercise among older people and those who resist exercise.

CREATING INCLUSIVE SPORTS PLAYGROUNDS: STRATEGIES FOR CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS

This article explores strategies for creating inclusive sports playgrounds designed to cater to children with developmental delays. It emphasizes the importance of inclusivity in playground design, ensuring that children of all abilities can participate in and benefitfrom sports-related activities. The article discusses the integration of specialized equipment, sensory-friendly areas, and adaptable play structures to accommodate various developmental needs. The goal is to provide a comprehensive guide on how to create playgrounds that are not only physically accessible but also developmentally supportive, promoting social inclusion and enhancing the physical and psychological well-being of all children

On-field physical activity of Special Olympics athletes and Unified Partners during the 2022 Special Olympics World Unified Cup.

Special Olympics is a sport organisation spearheading efforts to increase physical activity accessibility through inclusive sport. The Unified Sports® initiative brings together Special Olympics athletes (with intellectual disabilities) and Unified partners (without a disability) in sport training and competition on the same team. The study aims to objectively evaluate differences in on-field physical activity levels between athletes and partners during the 2022 Special Olympics World Unified Cup, an international soccer (i.e., football) competition. Participants were Special Olympics athletes (n=96; 44 females, 52 males) and Unified partners (n=70; 34 females and 36 males) competing in the women's and men's tournaments. On-field actigraph accelerometry measured physical activity from 166 players, over 29 matches, and totalling 493 player-matches. In the women's tournament, nearly identical estimates of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels (MVPA) were observed between athletes and partners (P=.409). However, a significant group difference was observed within a specific physical activity intensity category as partners accrued more minutes of very vigorous physical activity than athletes (P<.001). In the men's tournament, no significant differences were also observed between athletes and partners for minutes of MVPA (P=.341), but athletes engaged in significantly more vigorous physical activity (P<.001), and partners had more minutes of very vigorous physical activity (P<.001). The results suggest that on-field physical activity levels were similar between players with and without intellectual disabilities during Unified Sports competition.

The Value of Incorporating Inclusive Sports in Schools: An Exploration of Unified Sport Experiences.

School sports programs intentionally created for students with and without disabilities may increase social participation of students with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Special Olympics Unified Sports is one program where students with and without ID participate on one team. Guided by a critical realist paradigm, this study explored the perceptions of students with and without ID and coaches of in-school Unified Sports. Interviews were conducted with 21 youths (12 with ID) and 14 coaches. Thematic analysis resulted in four developed themes (identified is outdated language): Inclusion-Is it a "we" or a "they?" Roles and Responsibilities, Educational Context for Inclusion, and Buy-In. Findings suggest students with and without ID and coaches value the inclusive nature of Unified Sports. Future research should explore training for coaches on inclusive practices (e.g.,language), and optimal methods for consistent training (e.g.,use of training manuals) to foster the philosophy of inclusion within school sports.

O.4.5-4 What do young people want in a sport program: formative evaluation using Concept Mapping

Abstract Purpose Engaging young people in sport and physical activity (PA) requires awareness of their preferences and priorities. This study provided less active young people (14–17 years of age) with an opportunity to articulate their perspective on an ideal sport program. Methods We used online concept mapping, involving qualitative data collection and quantitative data analysis. Forty-eight less active young people in regional Victoria, Australia brainstormed 65 relevant, unique and single-focus statements in response to the prompt: The features of a sport program that I would really like to participate in are…. Twenty-four participants then sorted these statements into groups based on similarity of meaning, and 37 participants rated each statement on 5 point Likert scales for its importance (1 = completely unimportant; 5 = very important) in a program and how common (1 = never; 5 = always) it is in the programs they participate in. We analysed sorting data using multi-dimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis, and rating data using descriptive statistics. Results We identified a map with the following nine clusters (in order of relative mean importance ratings)—access and convenience (mean importance rating = 4.11 out of 5; mean common rating 3.83 out of 5); social connection (3.98; 3.78); inclusion and belonging (3.98; 3.53); confidence (3.86; 3.46); design and structure (3.85; 3.65); skill development and goals (3.84; 3.60); cost and time (3.80; 3.30); age and gender (3.61; 3.41); and specific features (3.53; 3.25)—as the most appropriate representation of the participants’ sorting data. The two single statements—both in the inclusion and belonging cluster—rated most important were a sport program where you are accepted (4.57) and in which you do not feel judged (4.51). Conclusions Young people want affordable, accessible, convenient, safe, welcoming, socially engaging and inclusive sport and PA programs. They want programs to be well organised, delivered by experienced coaches with flexible content that builds their confidence, fitness and skills through challenging and fun activities. Youth sport and PA program designers can use this data to inform program development and delivery planning. Support/Funding Source Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth).

Cyberbullying in Sport

Despite over 30 years of scholarly attention devoted to bullying and cyberbullying behaviors in school settings, research related to these experiences in the sport context remains limited. Yet, numerous anecdotal examples and preliminary evidence suggests cyberbullying exists in the sport domain and must be addressed given the potential adverse psychosocial outcomes for athletes. This commentary reviews research related to bullying and cyberbullying in the sport literature. To advance our understanding of cyberbullying in sport, recommendations are made to clarify conceptual issues around the central defining features (i.e., power, repetition, intent) commonly used to operationalize these experiences. Further, methodological issues to be addressed are discussed, including, the use of more diverse methods; adoption of an intersectional lens to all research; and the development, implementation, and evaluation of interdisciplinary evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies. Only through a research base that addresses these conceptual and methodological challenges, will empirically-informed prevention and intervention strategies be developed to advance safe, healthy, and inclusive sport environments.

Preparing Sport Leaders of the Future To Lead Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive Sport Organizations: The Insights and Strategies of Professors

Researchers have documented the tangible and significant benefits to organizations having more diverse senior leadership teams. However, not all industries have embraced his practice. While gains have been made for women securing senior positions in professional sport, the rate of change has been slow, despite the fact that men and women equally aspire to these roles, and women outnumber men in many sport management educational programs. Systemic and structural barriers exist for women seeking senior leadership levels in the industry, a fact that only the women students seem to appreciate (Gray &amp; Weese, 2021). This descriptive study extends this research by engaging sport management professors to determine if they understand the issue and, if so, what they were doing to ensure that their students understand the benefits of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). The professors clearly appreciated the issue and recognized the gender differences that exist between their men and women students. They also shared activities and strategies they use to help ensure that the next generation of sport leaders value and advocate for EDI leadership practices. The professors agreed that they needed to continue to heighten the awareness and sensitivities of their students on the topics of EDI, and they all believed that they could do more to incorporate EDI perspectives in their classes and mentorship sessions. Ten recommendations are provided to assist current and future sport management professors address this critical issue.

Inclusive sports in Philippine higher education: Determining attitudes towards transgender students’ participation

With the increasing global awareness and recognition of transgender rights and inclusion in various fields, including sports, it is crucial to examine what sports stakeholders think about the participation of transgender people in sports competitions, especially in the Philippines where there is a lack of studies on the topic. This motivated the researcher to conduct this study. Guided by a descriptive research design and using a quantitative-qualitative research approach, this study aims to determine the attitudes towards the participation of transgender athletes in sports, starting with randomly selected athletes from Philippine Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Data were collected through a survey and structured interviews, with questions validated by experts. Findings indicate that the future of sports in Philippine colleges is likely to be inclusive, with student-athletes having positive attitudes towards the idea of allowing trans women and trans men to compete in women’s and men’s sports categories, respectively, and towards the creation of separate sports categories for trans individuals only. This study can help higher education institutions develop more inclusive and respectful athletic practices that promote diversity and equal opportunity for all students who wish to participate on athletic teams and represent their colleges or universities, regardless of gender.

Am I welcome? Youth perceptions and feelings of racialized welcomeness in sports

ABSTRACT Purpose/Rationale: We consider the influence of racial identity on the real and perceived welcomeness of youth across popular U.S. sports. Design/Methodology/Approach: We administered an instrument measuring perceived sport welcomeness to 273 middle school students. Statistical analyses were run to determine any significant differences in feelings of welcomeness, perceived welcomeness, and favorite sport(s). Findings: Participants revealed a sporting environment where youth of all races are perceived to feel welcome, albeit to varying degrees. Moreover, the racial identity of our study’s participants significantly influenced their own personal feelings of welcomeness, and subsequently, their favorite sports. Research Contribution: Previous research typically centers on adult populations, whereas, we analyzed welcomeness, as well as perceptions of other racial groups’ welcomeness, in sports from actual youth participants. Additionally, we link perceptions of welcomeness to a tangible outcome, demonstrating that perceived welcomeness influences the participants’ favorite sport. Originality/Value: We discuss how such feelings and perceptions of welcomeness influence participation in sport, as well as how youth might be exploited by, yet unknowingly perpetuate, sport as a racialized space. In doing so, we extend the theoretical reach of welcome theory and offer implications for creating more inclusive sport spaces and programming.

Sensing inclusion among visually impaired and guide runners

People with visual impairments partake in recreational running with sighted guide runners. In the Netherlands, the Running Blind foundation enables blind and visually impaired runners and their guides to experience the social and physical benefits of outdoor recreation together. While sport policies and programs in the Netherlands call for more inclusive sport practices, it is often unclear what ‘inclusion’ means for the people involved. This article explores how a sense of inclusion is constituted, experienced and reflected on within guided running. Based on three months of immersive, sensory ethnographic fieldwork in guided running, we argue that merely integrating disabled sports practitioners into mainstream, that is, ableist sporting contexts does not increase inclusion for people with different abilities. Instead, guided running ensembles challenge ‘the language of inclusion’ by showing how a sense of inclusion evolves from an empathic engagement with the environment, the people and the tethered running bodies.

An intersectional Foucauldian analysis of Canadian national sport organisations’ ‘equity, diversity, and inclusion’ (EDI) policies and the reinscribing of injustice

ABSTRACT National Sport Organisations in Canada have increasingly been incentivised to create their own equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) policies within the framework of national inclusive sport mandates. However, many people from equity-denied groups – including this article’s authors – continue to experience erasure, denial, and ignorance when engaging within Canada’s sporting system, not despite such policies, but sometimes because of them. Our Re-creation Collective of passionate practitioners and scholars from various equity-denied groups analysed all (143) Canadian national-level EDI sport policies available online. From this analysis, we created a model that explains common ways that EDI policies can serve to reproduce the very exclusions they seek to address. Our first theme, Reproducing the Status Quo, includes subthemes Alleging Inclusivity, and Refusing Accountability. In our second theme, Reproducing the Excludable Other, we discuss the subthemes Erasing, Problematising, and Hedging. We end with a critical discussion and knowledge mobilisation links aimed towards building better EDI policies.

Developing Inclusive High School Team Sports for Adolescents with Disabilities and Neurotypical Students in Underserved School Settings

AbstractThe authors investigated the effects of a collaborative after-school inclusive sports program on adolescents with disabilities and neurotypical students in underserved high schools. The program brought together a large urban school district and a private after-school program to provide a service on the school site. The goals were to provide a truly integrated sports environment for adolescents with disabilities and to provide underrepresented minority students an opportunity to gain service learning, improved social–emotional development, and greater self-perceived impact. The project was feasible and indeed continued well beyond the evaluation period. Quantitative results indicated that the neurotypical adolescents felt they had an impact on improving the responsibility of their peer athlete, and they felt they had better perspective taking after participating. Descriptive comments indicated that the children with disabilities enjoyed participation and that this inclusive program may have provided an additional avenue for a subset of the population to engage more in the activities of their school. Program details are presented to encourage further research and replication.

Social participation of children with intellectual disabilities in inclusive sport: Practical implications for physical education.

The UN-CRPD has improved inclusion in sport for people with intellectual disabilities, yet this group remains marginalized and faces discrimination and exclusion in sport (Steiger et al., 2021). Although research in this area has increased, there is little empirical evidence of the effectiveness of inclusive settings or of factors that promote success. This study aims to analyse the social participation of children with intellectual disabilities in mainstream schooling and club sports, and the factors influencing this participation. This knowledge is key to the development of effective social participation of people with intellectual disabilities in inclusive schools and sports clubs. Applying the framework of Koster et al. (2009), a sample of 1,884 students (132 with intellectual disabilities) from 109 school classes (3rd to 6th grade) in 13 Swiss German-speaking cantons completed a standardised questionnaire composed of established instruments. Multi-level analysis reveals that the level of social participation depends on experienced social contacts and interactions, established relationships, and received social acceptance and perception. The overall effectiveness of participation of those with intellectual disabilities is consistently lower than that of non-disabled peers. Nevertheless, cases with high levels of participation were also observed. Influential factors are at a structural level, such as the design of lessons, trainer and teacher competencies, group climate, school and club conditions, as well as at an individual level such as children and trainer attitudes and competencies. Specific understanding of these factors supports practitioners to more effectively develop inclusive sport settings. Good practice that actively promotes inclusion in physical education classes includes individualization measures at various levels such as task difficulty and duration, individual assistance, and the use of adapted learning materials. These measures all aim to deepen student participation according to individual competencies.

The Role of Cognition and Social Factors in Competition: How Do People with Intellectual Disabilities Respond to Opponents?

Exploring pacing behaviour in people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in competition will help to better understand the impact of cognition and social environment in sports, providing support for the shaping of proper inclusive sports environments. The present experimental study aimed to (1) compare the pacing behaviour and performance between people with and without ID who are inexperienced in cycling and (2) investigate how these are influenced by an opponent. Participants with (n = 8) and without ID (n = 10) performed two randomised 4-km maximal cycling trials, alone and against an opponent. Non-parametric tests for repeated measures data (p ≤ 0.05) revealed that people with ID cycled slower, but with higher inter-individual variation (both conditions) and paced themselves differently compared to people without ID when competing against an opponent. In contrast to the previous literature in athletes without ID, the presence of a faster opponent resulted in a decrease in the performance in the participants with ID. The negative influence of the opponent highlights the potential difficulties people with ID experience to adequately use their opponents to enhance their self-regulatory processes and optimize their pacing and performance in maximal exercise trials. Coaches who want to offer inclusive sports environments for people with ID could take these findings into consideration.

Sport Participation for People with Disabilities: Exploring the Potential of Reverse Integration and Inclusion through Wheelchair Basketball.

Reverse integration is defined as the inclusion of able-bodied people into disability sport. For decades, there have been movements towards integrating people with a disability in mainstream society. There has been a lack of research supporting the movement of able-bodied involvement in disability sport, known as reverse integration. In this study, the real-life experiences and motivations of 11 national wheelchair basketball players (four able-bodied and seven with a disability) were explored, identifying the potential of reverse integration and what influenced the players involvement. Thematic analysis was employed using a deductive approach. The social-relational model was used as a framework to help interpret the findings. The results highlighted that health and social benefits were key factors towards prolonged engagement in wheelchair basketball, and it was reported that reverse integration led to an increased mutual understanding of the impact of (dis)ability. All participants reported positive experiences and supported able-bodied involvement, suggesting that able-bodied players play a key role and help to grow the sport locally. However, involvement of able-bodied players was not supported at international level. This challenges the concept of inclusion at higher level and whether the sport could be more inclusive. These findings could provide direction to coaches and policymakers for developing further inclusive opportunities at all levels. Further research may explore coach education programs and learning experiences of becoming an inclusive coach to ensure coaches know how to create, stimulate and coach in inclusive sport environments.

The Involvement of Athletes with Intellectual Disability in Community Sports Clubs

People with intellectual disability lack opportunities to engage in sports, although the benefits of doing so may be even greater for them. One option is to encourage their inclusion in mainstream sports clubs that exist in nearly all European communities. Although there is a growing knowledge base within organisations such as Special Olympics in adjusting sports to meet the needs of people with intellectual disability, inclusion in community clubs raises additional challenges. This exploratory study aimed to garner the experiences of coaches alongside those of clubs members—with and without disabilities—in 12 community sports clubs in three European countries. In all 20 coaches and 51 members took part in semi-structured interviews. A thematic content analysis was used to devise a conceptual model describing an inclusive sports club. The overarching theme was that inclusive clubs require an ongoing balancing between a focus on sporting skills and performance, with managing the needs and characteristics of the players and the inter-relationships among them. Six subthemes were identified that described the core strategies to the effective functioning of the clubs. However, the vision and commitment of coaches was crucial and their recruitment was the main challenge the clubs faced. In addition, new opportunities for training coaches are needed to support the extension of inclusive clubs across a range of sports and locations. Continuing research could usefully identify the benefits to club members and identify sport-specific adaptations required to make clubs more fully inclusive.