Standards of Conditions During Preparations for the Summer Paralympic Games Between 2004 and 2012 Assessed by Polish Athletes

Abstract

The quality of training conditions affects sporting success, injuries and health. The aim of the work was to present the conditions during the preparations of Polish athletes for the Summer Paralympic Games 2004–2012. The study encompassed 271 paralympians: Athens (91), Beijing (89) and London (91), competing in 13 disciplines. The research was based on a two-part questionnaire by Kłodecka-Różalska adjusted for disabled sports, and was conducted one month before each PG. Part 1 contained 20 closed-ended questions regarding conditions during preparations, while Part 2 concerned socio-demographic and sports-related data. Three levels of conditions: good, satisfactory and poor, were identified. The analysis showed that while the relationships between the athletes were good in all the preparatory periods, the co-operation with the paralympic coaches worsened. The standards of accommodation, food and sports facilities lowered. Personal orthopaedic supply was satisfactory in London; personal sporting equipment was good at all PG. The quality of medical care was the highest in London. The co-operation with physicians, physiotherapists and massage therapists was satisfactory. Consultations with the dietician were sporadic and assessed as poor. Psychological consultations were rare but satisfactory in Beijing and London. Contacts with the mass media were poor at all PG. Although combining private life, work, and education with sport was satisfactory, it was increasingly difficult to manage, particularly before London. The conditions during preparations for the PG 2004–2012 varied. Improvement was noticed only in the quality of medical care and personal orthopaedic supply.

The Sport Training Process of Para-Athletes: A Systematic Review

“…The training and performance of Paralympic athletes, in relation to the sport context, is influenced by several aspects [ 16 ], among which the figure of the coach stands out both for the support they offer to the athletes and the relationship they establish with them, as well as the qualifications they possess [ 17 , 38 ]. Thus, the coach exerts a decisive influence on athletes with a disability [ 74 ] and is a fundamental and essential part of their sports career [ 75 ].…”

Evolution of the Profile of a Polish Paralympian from Heidelberg to Tokyo Paralympic Games: A Study Protocol for a Prospective Longitudinal Study

“…The athletes emphasized that during their professional sports careers, they were focused primarily on combining their sporting duties with acquiring speci c education, while they postponed (especially women) the decisions about starting families for the period after the end of their sporting careers [12]. This is the more so as since the preparation for the 2012 London Paralympic Games, nding a balance between personal life and sporting careers has been increasingly di cult, especially because the athletes performed 12 training sessions per week and the organizational structure of disability sport has evolved signi cantly due to socioeconomic changes in Poland [13][14].…”

Polish Paralympic Sports in the Opinion of Athletes and Coaches in Retrospective Studies

“…17%) [24]. Positive changes in this respect could be observed only in the period of preparation for the London 2012 Paralympic Games [1]. This was probably due to the implementation in the Polish national team, in the form of enforcing before the Games, preventive multispecialist examinations in the field of sports medicine.…”

“…The differences were in its main part, which included fewer items (8 questions). The questions were semi-open (4), open (3) and closed (1). Comparing it with the questionnaire for athletes of national Paralympic team, there were no questions about the rights and obligations of players appointed to the national team and about coaches who athletes with disabilities would like to work with.…”

“…It is well known that the successes of Paralympians are influenced not only by the work of the athletes themselves, but also by the coaching staff and the standards of conditions in the period of preparation for the Paralympic Games [1]. Comparative research of scientists from different countries involved in the sports achievements of Paralympians can provide valuable information in this respect [2].…”