Opportunities and challenges associated with the participation and involvement of people with disabilities in sport events

Vollständiger Abstract

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Introduction & Purpose Participation in sport events can support social inclusion and belonging, yet may be limited by accessibility, organisational, informational and social barriers (Kiuppis, 2018; Elipe-Lorenzo et al., 2025). Besides taking part as an athlete, the possibility as volunteering in events is a chance to enhance the inclusion of people with disabilities in the field of sports (Jobst & Kreinbucher-Bekerle, 2025). This ÖSG supported participatory project investigates perceivedbarriers and facilitating conditions for people with and without disabilities attending, participating in or working at sport events (with a focus on racket sports and track & field). It aims to identify relevant dimensions of inclusive event design and explore potential differences between groups. Methods A mixed-methods study is being conducted in cooperation with the ’Forschungsbüro’ of the social service provider LebensGroß Graz. Across five participatory meetings between November 2025 and April 2026, people with multiple disabilities contributed to developing and refining an accessible questionnaire (broad survey at events) and a semi-structured interview guide (detailed information). The questionnaire uses simple language and addresses three domains: 1) individual-related aspects, including support needs, belonging, accessibility and costs; 2) the event venue, including physical accessibility and orientation; and 3) organiser-related aspects, including information, contact persons and intentions to revisit or recommend the event. The questionnaire is applicable for athletes, spectators and event staff. Results In a piloting regional Unified Racketlon event, sixteen participants completed the questionnaire at the first event; eleven (68.75%) reported a disability and five (31.25%) reported no disability. Nine (56.25%) identified as athletes, eight (50%) as staff and one (6.25%) as a spectator, with multiple roles possible. All respondents positively evaluated feeling comfortable at the event and the event’s accessibility (“yes” or “rather yes”); all would recommend the event, and 14 (87.5%) would attend again. Five (31.25%) respondents reported needing support to participate; all were from the group reporting a disability. Open-ended responses identified accessible spaces and supportive organisation as strengths, while suggested improvements included ramps or improved stair access. Discussion The first application suggests that an inclusively organised event can be positively experienced by people with and without disabilities. At the same time, individual support needs and specific physical accessibility improvementsremain relevant. Due to the small, event-specific initial sample, these results are descriptive and cannot yet demonstrate differences between groups. Conclusion The participatorily developed instruments appear suitable for capturing barriers and facilitating conditions acrossdifferent roles at sport events. Additional questionnaire and interview data will broaden the evidence base and support practice-oriented recommendations for designing inclusive sport events. References Elipe-Lorenzo, P., Diez-Fernández, P., Ruibal-Lista, B., & López-García, S. (2025). Barriers faced by people withdisabilities in mainstream sports: a systematic review. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7:1520962. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1520962 Jobst, M., & Kreinbucher-Bekerle, C. (2025). The perspectives of volunteers with disabilities and sport event organizers on educating and employing volunteers with disabilities. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7:1543502. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.15435024 Kiuppis, F. (Ed.). (2018). Sport and Disability: From Integration Continuum to Inclusion Spectrum (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429505317