Saturday, August 12, 2023

Parasport Inclusion

    The article discusses the gap between sports governing policies and the actual implementation of diversity and inclusion practices in sports, particularly for people with disabilities (PwD). The United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) advocates for equal participation in sports for PwD, but barriers like logistical limitations, lack of accessibility, discrimination, and traditional sports structures hinder full inclusion.

    The Swedish Sports Confederation (SSC) is undergoing an organizational change to enhance inclusion, with Parasport Sweden transferring responsibilities to mainstream national sports organizations (NSOs). The article focuses on the case of the Swedish Floorball Federation (SFF), which is receiving para-floorball as part of this top-down inclusion process.

    The study aims to identify conditions and factors influencing the SFF's approach to implementing inclusion, analyzing frames (organizational conditions), contextual ideology (values and goals), and patterns (daily practices) through the lens of frame factor theory.

    The study reveals challenges within the SFF's organizational frames, including a lack of clear directives, competencies, and preparedness for para-floorball. Different contextual ideologies exist, with positive views on para-floorball's integration but differing conceptions of what "inclusion" entails. Patterns show potential benefits from merging activities and shared resources but challenges in adjusting existing norms and values.

    In conclusion, the article emphasizes the importance of addressing challenges through improved governance, competence, and clear definitions of inclusion. It suggests that recognizing inclusion as a change in norms and culture is crucial. The study contributes methodologically by showing how to identify inclusion conditions during the pre-stage of change and offers insights for policymakers to enhance equal opportunities in sports for PwD.


Andersson, M., Karp, S., & Wickman, K. (2023). The pre-stage of inclusion-conditions for the mainstreaming process of parasports within the swedish floorball federation. Sport in Society, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2023.2221646


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