The Role of Sport and APA for People with Disabilities

Sport can play a key role in the lives and communities of people with disabilities, the same as it can for people without a disability.

There is a wealth of evidence to support participation in sport and physical activity for people with a disability concerning trends, barriers and benefits of participation. Over the past three decades, numerous studies have revealed that physical activity and sport participation result in improved functional status and quality of life among people with selected disabilities.

Scientific research has been conducted across disability groups that reveal participation in sport and physical activity leads to improved levels of physical health and well-being.

Sport and physical activity has also been shown to improve physical fitness and general mood in psychiatric patients with depressive and anxiety disorders. Additionally, sport and physical activity has been linked to improvements in self-confidence, social awareness and self-esteem and can contribute to empowerment of people with disabilities.

In developing countries, people with a disability often face additional barriers to participation in sport and society and these may include for example, complex issues including attitudes towards disability, traditional and religious beliefs, physical education systems, access to sporting infrastructure including services, facilities and equipment.
Read more about barriers to participation

Integration and inclusion of people with disabilities in mainstream sport has been a key focus in recent decades and has created new opportunities for participation and competition. On a larger scale, participation in disability sport also contributes to nation building and national identity and can also promote rehabilitation of people with disabilities following natural and man-made disasters. Read more about opportunities to participation