Chapter 4: Physical Education &

Sports For CWSN

Sports for CWSN and normal children, both are equally important. More or less every child needs to
participate in sports and games for proper growth and development. Many children with disabilities
do not have equal access to Health Care, Education, and employment opportunities.

Nowadays sports for disabled children are organized officially. Physical education and sports provide
ample opportunity to disabled children to lead a fruitful and energetic life.

Organizations Promoting Disability Sports

Special Olympics
The Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968.The mission of the Special
Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-
type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

The Special Olympics' mission remains as vital today as it was when the movement was founded.
Intellectual Disability (or ID) is a term used when a person has certain limitations in cognitive
functioning and skills, including communication, social and self-care skills.

According to the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, an individual

has an intellectual disability if they fall under the following category:

• IQ is below 70-75

• There are significant limitations in two or more adaptive areas

• The condition manifests itself before the age of 18

Special Olympics allow people to change their attitudes and support athletes. A total of 1,258 Special
Olympics Bharat athletes participated in nine World Summer Games and six World Winter Games
between 1987 and 2019.

The oath of Special Olympics Bharat is "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me brave in the attempt."

Today, the Special Olympics supports over 5 million athletes, 1 million coaches and volunteers, over
one lakh (1,00,000) tournaments each year, and 32 Olympic-type sports through various programs in
more than 170 countries.

Paralympics
Paralympics are international multi-sport events that were initiated for athletes with disabilities like
amputations, blindness and cerebral palsy. The Paralympics developed after Sir Ludwig Guttmann
organized a sports competition for British World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries in England
in 1948. These games were first held in Rome in 1960. The winter version of these games was first
held in Sweden in 1976.

Paralympics athletes compete in six different disability groups - amputee, cerebral palsy, visual
impairment, spinal cord injuries, intellectual disability, and "Les autres" (athletes whose disability
does not fit into one of the other categories, including dwarfism)
The main objective of Paralympics movement is "Spirit in Motion". The colours in logo of Paralympics
are red, blue & green (as shown in picture above). The design of logo is called "Aquito" which means
"I Move"

These games are governed by the International Paralympics Committee, which was set up in 1989
and is headquartered Bonn in Germany. The last Summer Paralympics were held in August 2020 in
Tokyo, Japan and Winter Paralympics were held in March 2022, in Beijing, China.

Deaflympics
The Deaflympics (previously called World Games for the Deaf and International Games for the Deaf)
are an IOC-recognized event. Motto of Deaflympics is 'PER LUDOS AEQUALITAS' (Equality through
sport).

• The first games, known as the International Silent Games, were held in 1924 in Paris with athletes
from 9 European nations participating in it.

• In 1996, the name was changed to 'World Games for the Deaf, and then again in 2001 to '
Deaflympics.

• Winter Deaflympics was instituted in 1949 at Seefeld, Austria

• To qualify for the games, athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 dB in

one ear.

• The Deaflympics logo is inspired by the Olympics logo. The circle in the middle represents an eye
because deaf people are very visual.

Concept of Classification and Divisioning in Sports:

In the world of sports, classification and divisioning play a vital role in ensuring fair and competitive
participation for athletes of all abilities.

Classification refers to the process of grouping athletes based on their functional abilities,
impairments, or characteristics, rather than their skill level. This ensures that individuals with similar
conditions compete against each other, creating a level playing field.

Divisioning, on the other hand, involves categorizing athletes into specific divisions or classes based
on their classification. This ensures that competitions are structured in a way that accommodates
various levels of abilities.

For example, in Paralympic sports, athletes are classified according to their impairment, such as
physical, visual, or intellectual, and placed into relevant divisions.

In conclusion, classification and division are essential elements in sports, fostering a spirit of
inclusivity and creating a platform for athletes to compete at their best regardless of their abilities.

Concept of Inclusion in Sports, its Need and Implementations:

Inclusion in sports refers to the practice of creating an environment where everyone, regardless of
their abilities, gender, race, or background, can participate and feel welcome.

This concept is essential to ensure that all

individuals have equal

opportunities to engage in sports and experience the numerous physical, emotional, and social
benefits that come with it.

The Need for Inclusion in Sports:

Promoting Diversity: Inclusion fosters diversity in sports, allowing individuals from various
backgrounds to come together and celebrate their differences.

Empowering Individuals: Embracing inclusion empowers individuals with disabilities or those facing
socio-economic challenges to participate actively in sports. It boosts their self-esteem and
encourages them to pursue their passions.

Breaking Stereotypes: Inclusion helps challenge stereotypes associated with certain sports or
genders, proving that anyone can excel in any discipline if given the opportunity

Implementations for Inclusion in Sports:

Accessible Facilities: Providing accessible infrastructure and equipment ensures that people with
disabilities can participate comfortably. This includes ramps, adaptive sports equipment etc.

Training and Education: Coaches, referees, and volunteers should undergo training to understand
the needs of diverse athletes and create an inclusive atmosphere.

Inclusive Policies: Sports organizations must adopt inclusive policies that address discrimination,
harassment, and unequal treatment, while actively promoting diversity in all aspects of the game.

Supportive Programs: Creating outreach programs and scholarships for under privileged individuals
can make sports more accessible to them and provide opportunities

Advantages of Physical Activities for children with

special needs:
• Reduce depression

• Improve social interaction

• Enhance physical, emotion

• Increased fitness levels

• Better self esteem

• Regular daily routine and psychological health

Strategies to Make Physical Activities Accessible for

Children with Special Needs:
We need to plan for activities keeping in mind the interest and abilities of Hiren. Over a period of
time, we have developed special programs labelled

APE is physical education there is individualized and specially designed to address the needs of
students with disabilities who require adaptations or modifications to be physically active, participate
safely, and make progress.
Some considerations are as follows:
• Health Check-ups

• Individual Needs: Assessment of each child needs to be done so that a specific customized adapted
program is made for them.

• Specialized Equipment: The size, weight, shapes, and colour of the playing equipment also has to
be customized

• Playing Environment: Playing areas need to be modified. The size of the playfield may need to be
decreased or more lights and louder music and provision of handrails, etc.

• Playing Rules: These also have to be changed suitably. Playing rules should be easier and more
flexible.

• Training of Educators: All instructors should undergo specialized training to handle special needs
children.

• Activities according to individual's abilities: Design specific activities according to their abilities.

• Encouragement: Encouragement from spectators irrespective of their errors.