Speakers
Description
In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the global north around the practice of mixed abilities sport (MAS). At the heart of this movement’s philosophy is the removal of barriers (e.g., age, disability, gender, and socio-economic status) that hinder involvement in more traditional sporting cultures. However, we seem to have been here before. In this paper we explore how the MAS movement is distinct or simply a re-invigoration of the United Nations 1978 initiative Sport for All (S4A). We start by surveying the historical development of the Sport for All project, presenting its key goals, and problematizing the meaning of All. From here, we examine how the concept of human rights is foundational within the Sport for All project, questioning its practical usefulness. Next, we explore the MAS manifesto to show how the ethos of this organisation is distinct from S4A. We suggest that neither approach to inclusive sport is ideal because they are not ethically centred around the individual, rather, we see a human development and capabilities approach as a better tool to guide and evaluate efforts to create sporting opportunities for every single individual. Furthermore, we suggest that before such an ideal can be achieved, systemic isms (e.g., ableism, ageism, racism, and sexism) must be confronted and challenged, inside and out of the world of sport, because they are the root of oppression for marginalised populations. In this sense, the project of inclusive sport is essentially ethical and political.
