Social Representations in sport Social representations of athletes with disabilities about paralympic sport in Brazil

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6063/motricidade.20770

Keywords:

para-athletes, disabled persons, sports, psychology social

Abstract

The objective was to understand the social representations of athletes with disabilities about Brazilian Paralympic sport. Twelve oral documents from athletes representing Brazil in Paralympic Games were consulted. After successive readings, two thematic axes were identified: Sports financing and Social and sports recognition. The information was analyzed through thematic coding. Results showed social representations of professional and amateur athletes. The lack of financial investment can make it difficult to stay in Paralympic sport. Although Paralympic sports financing has been more generous in recent years, there may be modalities with greater investments linked to the possibilities of achievements and to the management bodies. Another social representation identified is related to the recognition that society, the media, and peers with disabilities start to attribute to Paralympic athletes. Athletes often become benchmarks in the sports field for successors or may suffer from a lack of recognition.

KEYWORDS: para-athletes; disabled persons; sports; psychology social.

Author Biography

Janice Zarpellon Mazo, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

Doutora em Ciências do Desporto pela Universidade do Porto, Portugal. Professora Associada da Escola de Educação Física, Fisioterapia e Dança, da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – ESEFID/UFRGS. Professora do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências do Movimento Humano, da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – UFRGS. Coordenadora do Núcleo de Estudos em História do Esporte e da Educação Física – NEHME. Coordenadora do Observatório do Esporte Paralímpico.

Published

2021-06-30

Issue

Section

Original Article

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