CS

Special Populations and Sport

Special Populations in Sport

Overview

  • This chapter focuses on special populations in sport, including:
    • Physically challenged individuals
    • Developmentally delayed individuals
    • Senior population

Learning Outcomes

  • Understanding special populations in sport and challenges in sport participation.
  • How the Americans with Disabilities Act affected special populations.
  • Sport opportunities for people who are physically or mentally challenged and older adults.
  • Current challenges for athletes with physical/mental disabilities.

Key Issues for Special Populations

  • Acceptance
  • Funding and organizational support
  • Community program opportunities
  • Trainers, coaches, administrators, officials
  • Equipment
  • Inclusion with other populations
  • Media support

Sociological Perspectives

  • Interactionalist
  • Figurational
  • Feminist
  • Critical, Conflict, Functionalism?
  • Equalizer
  • Agent for Social Change
  • Unifier/Divider

Statistics

  • 1 in 6 Americans currently have a form of disability (50,000,000).
  • More than 54 million people in the United States have at least one mental or physical disability.
  • Almost 100 million Americans are older than 50.

Issues Affecting People with Disabilities

  • 38% of people with disabilities are unemployed.
  • 66% are dissatisfied with their quality of life.
  • They are twice as likely to drop out of high school.
  • They are less likely to socialize.

Legislation

  • Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • American Association of People with Disabilities

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

  • U.S. law enacted in 1990.
  • Eliminates discrimination in several areas:
    • Employment
    • Government
    • Public accommodations
    • Telecommunications
    • Transportation

Implications of ADA for Sport

  • Dramatic change in sport opportunities
  • More representation for programs for people with disabilities by governing bodies
  • Mainstreaming into regular sport programs
  • Sport programs conduct their activities with the range of disabilities in mind.

History of Disabled Sports

  • Sir Ludwig Guttmann's role in the development of the 1948 Stoke Mandeville Games, which led to the Paralympics.
  • Archery was the first contest.
  • Post WWII – Sports for disabled veterans begins at Y’s with Basketball

Paralympics

  • Games for athletes who have amputations, visual impairment, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, MS, dwarfism, and others.
  • 1960 inaugural games were in Rome, Italy.
  • 400 athletes from 23 countries participated.
  • Today, over 5,000 athletes from 120 countries participate in Summer Paralympics.
  • International Paralympic Committee leads.

Paralympics in United States

  • Division of USOC, founded in 2001.
  • Manages 18 sports, funding over 23 million.
  • Mission:
    • To be the world leader in the Paralympic movement by developing comprehensive and sustainable elite programs for our athletes.
    • To utilize our Olympic and Paralympic platform to promote excellence in the lives of persons with disabilities.

Sports Participation for Athletes with Physical Disabilities - Paralympics

  • Established in 1960, first held in Rome Italy, it is the second largest sporting event in the world after the Olympics.
  • Today hosts 120 countries and over 5,000 athletes.

Summer Games:

  • Archery
  • Rugby
  • Table Tennis
  • Tennis
  • Track and Field
  • Volleyball
  • Judo
  • Powerlifting
  • Basketball
  • Sailing
  • Shooting
  • Bocce
  • Soccer
  • Cycling
  • Swimming
  • Equestrian

Winter Games:

  • Alpine Skiing
  • Nordic Skiing
  • Curling
  • Sled Hockey

IOC – 2020 Agreement for Paralympics

  • Increasing the visibility of the Paralympic Games and enhance the Paralympic brand;
  • Deepening existing cooperation, specifically on the implementation of Olympic Agenda 2020, the strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement;
  • Ensuring the financial stability and long-term viability of the IPC, the Paralympic Games and the Paralympic Movement.
  • The new agreement will run through 2032 and will build on the current partnerships and cooperation agreements that were signed prior to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Mission of the U.S. Paralympics

  • Established 2001
  • “To be the world leader in the Paralympic Movement by developing comprehensive and sustainable elite programs for our athletes. To utilize our Olympic/Paralympic Platform to promote excellence in the lives of persons with disabilities.”

Legal Issues

  • Paralympics sue USOC wanting equal assistance.
  • U.S. Paralympics sue USOC but lose because funding not federal (2003).
  • Lawsuit brought against Parathlete Oscar Pistorius of South Africa:
    • Uses prosthetic legs
    • Claim was that uses 25% less energy compared to fully able athletes to run.
    • Wins case and continues to run vs. all athletes
  • One of the key issues now facing Paralympics is the focus on the most highly functioning athletes to gain sponsorship.

Sport Opportunities: Developmentally Delayed Population

Special Olympics

  • Includes athletes with intellectual disabilities, cognitive delays, significant learning disabilities, or vocational problems.
  • Represents 185 countries, 1.7 million athletes.
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver establishes Special Olympics in 1968
  • Started previously on her own backyard as Shriver Park
  • Resulted from treatment of her sister Rose being lobotomized and living life in mental institution
  • The Stigma of the Developmentally Disabled Shunned and Even Killed in Some Cultures Previous Centuries
  • Special Olympics by 2005 – 1,800 athletes representing 100 countries
  • First games were in Chicago, with 1,000 athletes.
  • Goal is to improve fitness, develop skills, and increase confidence and self-image.
  • Special Olympic World Games every four years.
  • Focus on inclusion, teamwork, peace love and courage

Seniors and Sport

  • Sports for the Older Adults
    • Senior PGA
    • Senior Olympics
    • Masters Tennis
    • Running
    • Softball
  • Again focus on inclusion for most groups while competition still involved
  • The Rise of Pickleball

Widespread Acceptance Not Fully Realized

  • Organizational Support including National Governing Bodies
  • Programs Offered at the Community Level
  • Training for Coaches, officials and administrators who learn how to work for target corporation
  • Equipment and rule modifications
  • Sort opportunities that included all populations when appropriate (NYC Marathon)
  • Media support for publicity and information

Statistics on Older Adults

  • In United States, more than 81 million adults between age 45-65.
  • 40 million over age 65.
  • This number will grow rapidly (baby boomers).
  • Adults over 55 control 70% of the net worth of U.S. households.
  • They have twice the discretionary spending of younger market segments.

Sport Participation for Older Adults

Associations

  • AARP
  • International Council on Active Aging (ICAA)

Performance sports

  • Masters, senior tours
  • In 2010, 15,000 athletes in the National Summer Senior Games in Houston
  • 1\% decline a year in physical ability from age 50 to 80, then more rapid

Sport Participation Trends for Older Adults

  • Huge increase in physical activity and sports for the over-50 group.
  • Definition of old age changing, along with expectations.
  • Increase in lifetime activities: Swimming, tennis, walking, golf, yoga, dance.
  • Communities offer inexpensive programs.
  • More opportunity with minimum age limits.