Sport studies/sociological issues in disbaility sport - Essay Example

However, social perceptions of disabilities continue to be entrenched in the medical model and impacts the disabled in their efforts to participate in and advance in sport (Brittain, 2004). From a functionalist’s perspective, sport is important for the physical and psychological well-being of the disabled (Thomas and Smith, 2003). Participation in sport helps the disabled to treat and manage physical disabilities and at the same time helps the disabled to develop self-confidence and a feeling of belonging to society (Thomas and Smith, 2003).

This is especially true in the Paralympics where media coverage is widespread and participants are motivated to compete and advance in their respective sports (Thomas and Smith, 2003). Although the Paralympics is said to be open to all disabled individuals, deaf persons are excluded on the basis that they are not physically disabled (Kurkova, Valkova, and Scheetz, 2011). Yet the ordinary Olympics excludes the deaf on the grounds that managing sporting events for both the hearing and the deaf is too complicated (Ammons and Eickman, 2013).

Although the Deaflympics have been organized and carried out since, 1924, the deaf remain excluded from both disabled and able-bodied sport (Ammons and Eickman, 2013). The question considered in this essay, is whether or not the deaf should be included in the Paralympics. Using the social model of disability, this essay analyses the proper perspective of the deaf and the benefits and advantages of including the deaf in the Paralympics. By definition, a disability refers to an impairment that limits an individual’s ability to function in at least one way (Lane, 2002).

Therefore, being deaf is a disability as a hearing impairment limits the individual’s ability to function in the sense that he or she cannot rely on hearing to make decisions or to act (Lane, 2002). Lane (2005) argues that deaf should not be considered