Sports and Those Living With a Disability

Abstract

　The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between disabled people and sports in daily life. First, we analyze the overall picture of the relationship between disabled people and sports by using the life structure analysis. Second, we acquire detailed knowledge of encounters between the disabled and sports in their local communities, utilizing the life history analysis.
　Through the life structure analysis, the following points are clarified:
　1）Disabled persons are positioned in hierarchically lower classes, and have lower mobility. That said, they generally tend to be “privatization/conformation” as well as able-bodied or healthy persons.
　2）Disabled persons engaged in sports are positioned in a higher class or level among the disabled, and have higher mobility. In addition, they have a strong tendency to be more publically visible (“publicness”). Through the life course analysis, the following points are clarified:
　1）It was confirmed that the influence of “hierarchy,” “mobility,” and “publicness” regarding the disabled persons’ sports practice can be clarified by using the life structure analysis.
　2）Three distinct categories were established for considering encounters between disabled persons and sports: “Differences in individual acting power”, “Incidental events”, and “Human relations in real (nonsports) life”.
　The circumstances of hierarchy and mobility in the disabled community indicate social position, and have an impact on independent acting power in the context of sports practice. Furthermore, when discussing sports, incidental events must be taken into account since independent acting power is influenced by actual real-life experience. On the other hand, it was suggested that “human relations in real (non-sports) life” could help to lay the foundation for encounters between the disabled and sports.