Research on Sports for the Severely Physically Handicapped:

A Case Study of the Nagoya City Handicap Marathon

Abstract

　In the field of sports sociology, work on “sport and the welfare of the physically disabled” has been written from two particular standpoints. The first focuses on the achievements and contributions that society has made towards addressing the challenges of involving the physically disabled in sport. The second assesses the progress towards normalization being made in the world of sport by discussing the possibilities of participation for handicapped individuals in sport. In these standpoints, the conceptualization of themes such as “normalization” and “popular participation” are constrained by the question of what social and welfare services exist for the handicapped.
　However, further consideration must be given to the concrete concerns that exist for the physically disabled when it comes to their ability to take part in sport. This paper addresses this question by the fieldworks in one particular event, Nagoya City Handicap Marathon. The following features will be considered:
1) The actions being carried out in the meetings and by the management of The Society for Creating a Better Life for Persons with Severe Physical Handicaps (Yokusuru-kai) in Aichi Prefecture, an organization dedicated to helping those with severe physical handicaps live independent lives.
2) The objective of the marathon to allow members of Yokusuru-kai the opportunity to “run through the city center.”
　This paper points out ways in which these two features of the handicapped marathon are related to issues in the lives of the severely handicapped, as well as the varying ways in which they have helped in the social welfare and minimization of impediments for handicapped individuals.