CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH

SPORT

Sport teaches independence, helps in to improvements of self-confidence, social awareness and self-esteem and can contribute to empowerment of people with disabilities.

Today, people with a disability participate in high performance as well as in competitive and recreational sport.

LACK OF AWARENESS OF PARA SPORT

There is a lack of awareness among the people about the different fields in which differently able can go, excel and make their career. ‘Para Sports’ being one of the fields where the talented differently able could go. Due to lack of general awareness and insufficient opportunities, there are several cases where talent goes unnoticed

Why Classification?

Challenging the interests of para-sport is the threat of one sided and predictable competition, in which the least impaired athlete always wins. To prevent this, para-athletes are placed in categories for competition based on their impairment, these are called sport classes.

In para-sport, athletes are grouped by the degree of activity limitation resulting from the impairment. Different sports require athletes to perform different activities, such as: sprinting, propelling a wheelchair, and shooting. As sports require different activities, the impact of the impairment on each sport also differs. Therefore, for classification to minimise the impact of impairment on sport performance, classification must be sport specific.

WHAT HAPPENS IN CLASSIFICATION?

Classification system determines which athletes are eligible to compete in a sport and how athletes are grouped together for competition. This, to a certain extent, is similar to grouping athletes by

age, gender, weight, physical abilities, degree of disability

Other Organisations in Para Sports

• IPC - International Paralympic Committee

• International Amateur Athletics Federation

• IBSA - International Blind Sports Federation

• ISOD - International Sports Organisation for Disabled

• ISMWSP - International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation

• CP-ISRA - Cerebral Palsy - International Sports and Recreation Association

• INAS - International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments

SCHEMES FOR DIFFERENTLY-ABLED IN INDIA

• Scheme for Posthetic aid and Appliance to disable persons (Dir., Social Defence)

• Scholarship to the disable students (Director, Social Defence)

• Financial Assistance Scheme (Gujarat Minority Finance and DevelopmentCorporation)

• Maharshi Ashtavakra Community Based Scheme (Director, Social Security)

• Deen Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (Government of India)

Various different personalities were interviewed for understanding the subject deeply –

· The Para Athletes who are currently in SAI,

· Differently abled people

· NGO’s dealing with various differently abled people

· Doctors

· Medical practisers

· Sports clubs

· Sports trainers

· Gym trainers

· Nutritionists

· Classifiers

· Administration staff of Sports Authority of India, Gandhinagar

Various types of questions were asked that revolved around the physical and mental health of the differently abled, the amount of load given on the body, the time of physical workout, how the society perceives them and their outlook, what the government is doing for the differently abled, the schemes and the provisions provided for them and the opportunities in Para Sports.

brainstorming about the TOPIC

After visiting the Sports Authority of India, talking to the Para Athletes, and minutely observing the situations prevailing there, following issues were observed that were faced by the differently-abled people who were interested in practicing sports.

Finalising the topic of study

The major hurdle the was seen was the unawareness about the Para Sports among the common people. People know about the able-bodied sports and appreciate them, but are totally unaware of the sports that are meant for the differently abled people. Since they are an integral part of our society who are ignored to a large extent and are not much thought for.

So, firstly creating an awareness among the public about para sports is very essential because of the the fact that disability can occur to anyone and at any point of time in their lives and this should not stop an emerging athlete from playing sports.

Since there are various degrees of disability, the process of classification is done for the same and the major idea is to make people aware of the process of classification and classify them because without proper classification, the differently abled will not be able to get a class for a particular sport where he would play for the competition and get a recognition.

Also, due to certain conditions, people who are good at sports are not able to participate in competitions. So, creating awareness about the competitions that are held for the differently abled is necessary and also to help in provision of various amenities for the same in the long run.

There is lack of funding in the sports sector for Para-athletes. Due to this, many para-athletes gets laid back in the sports sector. Initially they have to invest by themselves to participate in the competitions and then afterwards, through SAI, they get funding for the same.

Sponsors like GoSports are for athletes who have appeared for International sports only. It is difficult to get Sponsors for the emerging athletes despite the fact that they have won medals in World Championships.