Abstract
This paper aims to evaluate how the national governing bodies (NGB) for table tennis and football have dealt with the issues of mainstreaming athletes with intellectual disability in the English sports policy community. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with key political actors of sport organisations. This paper discusses how English sports policies are based on the notion of sport for all and equity. In particular, four main issues in disability sports are explored. Firstly, there are different views concerning the Disability Discrimination Act between the NGBs and a disability sports organisation. Secondly, there are different opinions concerning 'mainstreaming' between those sports organisations. Thirdly, a sporting body's organisational power is influenced by its economic power. Finally, the organisational power impacts on the level of the government's intervention.
