The social world of able-bodied and disabled athletes

Abstract

Objectives The goal is to present the results of sociological research with respect to comprehending the subjective social world of both able-bodied and disabled athletes. Material and methods The research used the concept of Fritz Schütze, with the biographical method and the narrative interview technique being employed. Intentional sampling was used. Fifty-six interviews were conducted, where the respondents were divided into eight categories based on: physical fitness, stage of sports career, and type of sports discipline. Results From the analyses performed, the motivation and importance of sport in the lives of both able-bodied and disabled athletes, their families and professional situation, the education process, as well as the completion of their sports career have been presented. Conclusions Compared to their peers, able-bodied athletes were distinguished by their skills, which determined their decision to compete in sport. People with a disability could meet other disabled individuals during sports training. The choice of the sport discipline depended on predispositions. A club's policy and the rules governing it influenced the lives of the competitors: they discontinued education or delayed starting a family. In the social world of sport, competitors met significant others. Practising a discipline determined the time of retirement from sports.

Keywords

• sport
• sports career
• sociology
• disability
• social word