International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences Vol. 1(1), pp. 1 - 12
DOI: 10.13189/saj.2013.010101
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An Investigation into Participation Trends by Wheelchair Sports Players at the Zimbabwe Paralympic Games

Bhekuzulu Khumalo^1,*, Ignatius Onyewandume², John Bae³, Shadreck Dube^1
1 National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Zimbabwe
² University of Botswana, Botswana
³ William Paterson University, USA

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Disability or the disablement process is manifested in the interaction between the individual and his/her environment. There are general regulations for accessibility inside a building, among such are: Entrance doors, service desk, lifts, stairs, corridors, water closet (WC), and dressing rooms. This research was guided by the United Nations (UN) Accessibility for the Disabled: A Design Manual for a Barrier Free Environment, a document by the UN High Commission for human rights, designed to guide and set standards for built environment accessibility by the disabled. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) recognises 6 different disability groups: amputees, athletes with Cerebral Palsy (CP), blind or visually impaired athletes, spinal cord injured athletes, athletes with an intellectual/learning disability, other athletes (les autres) with a physical disability who do not fit into the above 5 categories. This research focused on amputees, spinal cord injured athletes and the other athletes with a physical disability e.g. as a result of polio or accidents, who participate in wheel chair basketball and/or tennis. This study aimed at identify problems associated with access to Zimbabwean sport facilities by disabled consumers. The researcher observed that wheelchair sports is failing to attract participants because of challenges faced in accessing sporting facilities, due to: Challenges faced in transport/road usage, to and from sporting facilities. Non adaptation of the sports facilities. Non availability of equipment, e.g. the wheel chairs and rackets. Lack of access to equipment. Methods: Randomly selected wheelchair sports players from Zimbabwe are interviewed and group discussions carried out. Seventy (70) respondents 47 (67.1%) males and 23 (32.9%) females participated. The majority (62.9%) are above 25 years of age, only 22.9% are 20 years or below, all the females taking part in this research were over 30 years old. Results and Discussion: The results are that the barriers to participation are a result of an unfriendly and non-adapted transport system, poverty, nature of occupation, lack of access to equipment and non-adapted facilities providing health and safety risks over and above accessibility challenges. Conclusion and Recommendations: This research revealed a list of barriers to wheelchair sports participation opening avenues for further research in the areas of mainstreaming and Paralympic sports participation in Zimbabwe.

KEYWORDS
Impairment, Disability, Handicap, Adapted, Activity, Physical Activity

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Bhekuzulu Khumalo , Ignatius Onyewandume , John Bae , Shadreck Dube , "An Investigation into Participation Trends by Wheelchair Sports Players at the Zimbabwe Paralympic Games," International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 1 - 12, 2013. DOI: 10.13189/saj.2013.010101.

(b). APA Format:
Bhekuzulu Khumalo , Ignatius Onyewandume , John Bae , Shadreck Dube (2013). An Investigation into Participation Trends by Wheelchair Sports Players at the Zimbabwe Paralympic Games. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 1(1), 1 - 12. DOI: 10.13189/saj.2013.010101.