Disability Sport Info

In this episode, I speak to Lyndsey Hollands, British Cycling's Strategic Lead ‑ Disability and Inclusion, about British Cycling's efforts to make cycling inclusive for disabled people.  We discuss the challenges and current environment for disabled people to cycle in Britain. We turn to British Cycling's efforts to increase the number of disabled people cycling, principally by focu...

In this episode, I speak to Rebecca Foster, MBE, about inclusive physical education for children and young people with disabilities. We discuss Rebecca's book, 'Physical Education for Young People with Disabilities: A Handbook of Practical Ideas Created by Practitioners for Practitioners Paperback', and how it can support teachers to provide quality physical education. In addition t...

In this episode, I evaluate the impact and significance of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. I speak to key individuals who attended the event to get their perspective of the Games and to appraise the 2024 Paralympics. I consider the aims of the Paris Paralympics, the accessibility of the event, and what it was like to be in the stadiums and arenas during the Games. I appraise the quantity and qual...

In this special episode, I speak to Giles Long, founder of the LEXI classification system. LEXI (https://lexi.global/) communicates the Parasport classification system in a clear and simple manner.  During our chat I discover why and how LEXI was invented, what makes LEXI unique, and the best ways of communicating the Parasport classification system.  Enhance your enjoyment of the Paralympics with...

In this episode, the first of a special series on the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, I explore what disability is. Professor Tom Shakespeare, a renowned Disability Studies scholar, discusses the meaning of disability for the individual and how disability is perceived within society.  This episode is perfect if you want to learn about disability to support your enjoyment of the 2024 Paris Paralympics...

In this short episode, I announce an exciting new YouTube series for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Exclusive content will be hosted on the @DisabilitySportInfo YouTube channel before and during the event.   I'll show you how the Paralympics became the event it is today, how success is achieved, and consider the legacy of the Paralympics, and much more besides!  Be sure not to miss out by s...

In this emergency podcast, I react to Labour winning a landslide in the UK General Election. I consider what the new Labour government means for disability sport, specifically at the grassroots sport level. Please get in touch with your thoughts on the episode Thanks for listening to the Disability Sport Info show! 

In this episode, the UK's Get Active (2023) strategy for physical activity and sport participation is considered. An expert panel consider the details of the strategy and its implication for disabled people's sport participation and physical activity. Specifically, we consider the UK government's pledge to get 700,000 more disabled people active by 2030 as part of the Get Active str...

In this episode, I'm joined by Josef Baines,  Insight Manager at London Sport, to discuss the physical activity and sport participation of disabled Londoners.   We consider the current sport and physical activity of disabled Londoners, including projects London Sport are supporting. We discuss the impact and influence of the cost of living crisis on disabled Londoners' sport and physical...

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr Andrea Bundon to discuss the transition and retirement experiences of Parasport athletes. We consider the current support and experiences of athletes who are exiting the sport. We discuss the impact of being declassified, an issue unique to Parasport, and how this impacts the athlete. Finally, we appraise how post-playing career support and guidance for athle...

In this episode, I speak with Dr Bryce Dyer to understand the role technology plays in Parasport performance.  We consider how technology has developed from crude pieces of technology to sophisticated, state of the art equipment. The disparity in technology between richer and poorer nations is appraised, including how this impacts their Paralympic performance. We discuss, at length, the cases of M...

In this episode, I speak with elite Deaf athletes, Claire Stancliffe and Nathan Young, about their sporting careers. Claire is a GB & England Deaf Women's footballer, while Nathan is a GB & England Deaf Swimmer.  In the episode, we consider Claire and Nathan's careers, the (lack of) funding and recognition of Deaf sport, and how the UK sport system compares internationally. Final...

In this episode, I discuss the support provided to Parasport athletes. I speak with Dr Mike Hutchinson of the British Paralympic Association to consider this in more detail. On the show, we discuss the nature and extent of support provided to athletes, the influence and role of classification, and how the BPA are supporting athletes in the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Paralympics.  Please get in touc...

In this episode, I speak with Dr Rob Townsend to consider high-performance Parasport coaching. We consider the current state of play, the scope and quality of coach education in Parasport, as well as examples of best practice.  Below are links to papers referenced in the episode.  Link to Rob's PhD thesis: https://bit.ly/43mveXd Link to paper discussing care from the perspective of a highly i...

In this episode, I speak with Adam Blaze, CEO of Activity Alliance, the leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity in England. We discuss the role of the Activity Alliance in supporting disabled people to be active. We consider the policy challenges and opportunities facing the Activity Alliance. We then assess disabled people's current physical activity and sport participation....

This episode explores cheating methods in Parasport. I'm joined by former GB Paralympian, and current PhD researcher at the University of Birmingham, Ali Jawad, to explore this area in more depth.  On the show, Ali explains why classification may be the biggest threat to the integrity of the Paralympics. The controversial and dangerous method of boosting is discussed, followed by an assessmen...

In this episode, I speak to Owain Davies, CEO of Level Playing Field, to discuss Level Playing Field's Unite For Access 2023 campaign. We first discuss the sport spectatorship experiences of disabled sports fans, considering the gaps in provision as well as best practice examples.  The second half of the episode focuses on the Unite For Access campaign. The campaign runs from Saturday 25th Fe...

In this episode, I speak with Professor David Legg to understand how Parasport can be managed and governed.  We discuss what Parasport is and how nations have approached the management of sport for elite athletes with impairments. We consider how the efficiency of Parasport management and governance can be improved. Finally, we turn our attention to the future of Parasport and the most important f...

In this episode, I explore talent identification and development of athletes in Parasport. I speak with Professor Joe Baker to understand in detail what talent identification and development is. We consider approaches to finding and developing talent in a Parasport context, as well as how to build a sustainable Parasport talent system.   Please get in touch with your thoughts on the episode Thanks...

In this episode, I explore the classification system. I speak with PhD student, Janet Lawson, to understand in detail what classification is, as well as some of the challenges with the classification process. We consider why classification is often a misunderstood process, as well as why it can be source of controversy. Finally, we consider how the classification process can be improved.  Please g...

In this short episode, I reflect on the 1st year of the podcast and look forward to year 2 of the podcast. I also issue a call for feedback on the podcast.  Please get in touch with your thoughts on the episode Thanks for listening to the Disability Sport Info show! 

This is a bumper episode that focuses on sport participation in action for disabled people. The following topics are covered: Voluntary sports clubs; Coaching; Visual impairments; Physical impairments; Intellectual impairments; Deaf sport; Accessercise fitness app. Each topic is available as a standalone episode on my Disability Sport Info podcast site: https://disabilitysportinfo.buzzsprout.com P...

In this special episode, I speak to Ali Jawad, a GB Paralympian currently studying a PhD in anti-doping in Paralympic sport, to discuss the Accessercise app he has created. Accessercise is a fitness app specifically designed for people with impairments.  In the episode, we consider why the app has been created, the features of the app, and consider how the app can support disabled people to be phy...

This episode of the Disability Sport Info show explores coaching in grassroots disability sport.  Keon Richardson explains what coaching is and how to provide the best coaching experience for disabled people. Challenges for coaches are considered along with potential recommendations for coaches.  Links to STEP model: UK Coaching: https://www.ukcoaching.org/resources/topics/videos/subscription/the-...

This episode of the Disability Sport Info show considers the sport participation and physical activity experience of individuals with an intellectual impairment.  Dr Eric Svanelöv, of Mälardalen University, considers the sport participation experiences of individuals with an intellectual impairment. We discuss how intellectual impairment is positioned and perceived in society and the impact this h...