Barriers in Sports Participation Faced by Young People with Disabilities - Dissertation Example

The findings were presented in graphical form. Based on the discussion, the barriers identified were classified as internal and external and a model based on this classification was developed and diagrammatically presented. The paper concluded with some recommendations based on the gaps identified in the literature, for future researchers in the field.Sport England (2010) follows and recognizes the definition of sports determined by the European Sports Charter (1993). The definition says that “any form of physical activity, which via participation aims at expressing and improving physical fitness and mental well being, forming social relationships and obtaining results in competition at all levels is included in sports.

’ (European Sports Charter, 1993; Cited in Sport England, 2004).Carefully conducted surveys by GHS (1993, 1996) cited in Sport England (2004) aimed at determining the rate of sports participation of people in different age groups identified a drop in the percentage of young people (aged: 16 – 19 years) who engage in sports. Another noteworthy finding of the survey was that this rate further decreases when young adults graduate and enter practical life, outside the university/college.

The young people’s sport participation (aged between 16 and 19 years) of 47% fell drastically to a mere 17% when the annual academic session ended and graduates passed out of the colleges (GHS, 1993, 1996; Cited in Sport England, 2004).Many organizations are working for the promotion of sports participation by the disabled as well. Two such organizations include the English federation of Disability sport and the National Disability Sport Organization. These organizations have been striving and continue to do so, for the equal rights and opportunity of participation in sports at the national as well as international level by the disabled persons of the society.

Disability refers to a set of physical, mental, psychological, and social properties possessed by an individual, which hinder or complicate the plain process of adaptation and optimal development. In some cases, normal functioning may also be hindered (Craighead, & Nemeroff, 2004).