Promoting Para Athlete Activism: Critical Insights From Key Stakeholders in Ireland

Abstract

In 2019, the International Paralympic Committee produced a new strategy that highlighted the need to promote disability activism through Para sport. The purpose of this study is to understand what promoting disability activism through Para sport means to key stakeholders within an Irish national-level sociopolitical and Para sport context. Three groups of Irish stakeholders participated in interviews. Data were analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis. Three themes were generated: social responsibility, identity performance, and Paralympic discourse. Within each theme, different stakeholders drew on different activist discourses to argue for and against promoting activism. This article poses significant challenges to the International Paralympic Committee’s strategy. Challenges are addressed by highlighting nine activist discourses that could have practical implications when promoting activism in different sociopolitical and Para sport contexts.

The role of challenges and supports in engaging white athletes in activism for racial justice.

“…What complicated things for the Irish athletes, however, was that their governing body, Paralympics Ireland , wanted to provide emotional, informational, instrumental, and esteem support (e.g., lifestyle advice, mental health support, career planning) for athletes who choose to engage in activism, but simultaneously felt that they did not have the structure or expertise needed to do so (Haslett et al, 2020). Additionally, engaging in activism requires intense emotional labor (Chen & Gorski, 2015) which, if athletes do not have the requisite skills to monitor and handle, can lead to negative consequences including heightened levels of distress (Haslett et al, 2020).…”

Enactments of Integrated, Disability-Inclusive Sport Policy by Sporting Organizations

“…Disability, then, is cast as a diminished state of being human. (p. 44) Those who study disability sport have highlighted previously how the socially constructed nature of sport privileges notions of ability that are inextricably linked to normative values of masculinity, physicality, and sexuality (DePauw, 1997;Haslett, Monforte, Choi, & Smith, 2020;Howe & Jones, 2006;Promis, Erevelles, & Matthews, 2001;Silva & Howe, 2012). Following these works, we would also argue, that even when enactments of elite (and subelite) disability sport are performed, the institutions in which they occur (i.e., within the context of the sports endorsed by the International Paralympic Committee and on the Paralympic Games program) are arguably ableist to their core.…”

Evolution of Commercials Featuring Para Athletes: From Friend Next Door to Equal Sports Stars

“…The companies seek to promote Para athletes in their commercials not only due to the established contracts, but also because of corporate social responsibility and identity performance reasons. Moreover, Paralympic marketing discourse recently highlights more the sporting ability than the disability, while highlighting that there is just one sport (Haslett et al, 2020).…”