ABSTRACT

Over the past fifty years the nature and meaning of sport for young people with disabilities has changed significantly and yet not at all. We would argue that this rather contradictory statement best reflects the current position facing young people with disabilities who (want to) participate in sport and those policymakers, educators and coaches responsible for facilitating such opportunities. So why do we consider there to be a contradiction? From one perspective, it would seem that many developments have been made that legitimize the position and place of people with disabilities within the community of sport. Indeed, Chapter 2 outlines a major shift in thinking that has extended the meaning of sport for people with disabilities beyond that merely associated with rehabilitation. In this way, there is increasing recognition that people with disabilities, like their non-disabled counterparts, may want to engage in sport for recreational or competitive purposes. The elite development goal that Siedentop (2002) believes is a central component of the constitution of youth sport can now be worked towards as athletes with disabilities compete on a world stage in the Paralympics and other international events. Similarly, Chapter 3 reviews British policy developments in relation to physical education and youth sport that seek to promote more inclusive practices. Internationally, these kinds of policies have also been coupled with legislation and other mandates that articulate a desire to promote more equitable (sporting) opportunities and rights for people with disabilities (Peters 2007). Moreover, Chapter 4 discusses the development and adoption of the social model of disability within policy and legislation reflecting a radical shift in positioning that views material conditions and relations within society as key contributors to the marginalization and discrimination that people with disabilities encounter. Whilst these various developments within wider social life and youth sport may have heightened the recognition given to people with disabilities they are limited in so much as we cannot assume they have, or will, automatically lead to positive change. Evidence from

research continually confirms that people with disabilities are disadvantaged in many spheres of life including sport (Priestley, 2003).