Disability, Sport, and Ableism

Summary

Ableism may operate as a regulatory mechanism for disabled people in their everyday lives and thus impact upon the likelihood of them getting involved in sports and physical activities. By highlighting why ableism exists, who benefits from it, and the complexity of the situation, it is possible to explain many of the issues that disabled people face in their day-to-day lives and how these impact the likelihood of them getting involved in and remaining in sports. It is important to note how disability can intersect with other identity markers such as gender, sexuality, and race that can either lessen the impact of ableism or further marginalize a particular individual. There are a number of ways of viewing disability, highlighted through models of disability such as the medical and social models, but these, while useful, fail to take account of identity markers other than disability. As a result, ableism, which allows for a more interdisciplinary analysis of the impact of disability, particularly in terms of other identity markers, has become a core analytical and theoretical tool for many researchers working in disability studies, including those interested in sports. By explaining the role of ableism in regulating disabled people’s lived experiences and their access to societal resources it is possible to explain many of the issues they face in getting involved in and continuing participation in sport—an activity that has the ability to significantly improve their lives in terms of physical health and mental well-being.