Understanding the Experiences of Athletes with Physical Disabilities to Inform Inclusive Sports Tourism Practices

The sports industry is growing exponentially worldwide and making significant contributions towards engaging people across varied cultural, racial and socio-economic backgrounds. It is well documented in the literature that sports tourism offers an array of benefits for athletes. However, athletes with physical disabilities experience more challenges during sports tourism pursuits than their able-bodied counterparts. These athletes are, furthermore, subject to (mis)representations in dominant discourse. This study aims to understand the experiences of athletes with physical disabilities to inform inclusive sports tourism practices. This study followed an interpretivist approach and used a qualitative research methodology design to gather data on the lived experiences of athletes with physical disabilities. Snowball sampling was used, and data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured telephone interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. This study found that the athletes enacted agency and challenged the structures that constrained their sports tourism pursuits by creatively reshaping these spaces and not succumbing to being passive victims of institutionalised discrimination.