Predicting the Evolution of Sports Federation Membership: An Important Tool to Asses National Governing Bodies’ Strategic Planning

Quantifying the potential market of sports licenses is key in order for National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs) to be able to design good strategic planning. We compared the classical methods of univariate prediction and the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) methods. Reliability of the available data was verified with the Time Series Regression with ARIMA Noise, Missing and Outliers (TRAMO) method, and the existence of a trend was verified using Daniel’s test. For the purposes of this study—the researches collected and analysed secondary data from a 40-year series in 45 sports in Spain covering a very long period of time in a variety of sport disciplines. The study shows that, with the available data, short-and mid-term forecasting is possible in a number of sports, but not in all of them. It also proves that Holt’s classical method of exponential smoothing is the one that yields best results. Golf, Basketball, Athletics and Hunting NGB show worrying prospects of decline levels and need an immediate change in the strategic plans. Other than for forecasting the evolution of athletes in the mid-term in order to improve strategic planning in NGBs, the present findings can be useful for public authorities to define their aid policies for NGBs, and they can also helpcompanies in the industry to anticipate market developments

Assessing the role of the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the provision and management of grassroots sport for disabled adults

© 2016 The Author(s).Legacies from hosting the Paralympic Games is an under-developed area. In a thematic analysis of Paralympic legacies, Misener et al. (2013) discovered few empirically researched studies focusing on legacies from the hosting of Paralympic Games. Of the forty-three sources of evidence included in their review, only eleven were identified as being of an empirical nature, with most focusing on the Sydney 2000 Paralympics and its tangible legacies. In addition, Mahtani et al. (2013)were unable to find any evidence for the Summer Paralympic Games and sport participation legacies. One of the legacy aims of the London 2012 Paralympic Games was to support disabled adults to participate in sport and physical activity (Office for Disability Issues 2011). The 2012 Paralympics was undoubtedly a success as a sporting event, but, as we approach the Rio 2016 Paralympics, what reflections can be made regarding the 2012 Paralympics grassroots sport participation legacy for disabled adults in England? How successful has the Paralympics been in providing opportunities to participate in sport, four years on from the Games? To aid our understanding of this under-researched area and of the grassroots sport participation legacy from London 2012, this researchaims to answer the following question:How has the grassroots sport participation legacy of the 2012 Paralympic Games been managed? The data presented in this study represents preliminary findings and is sub-set of a wider study and PhD. The views of senior managers from NDSOs, regarding the impact and management of the grassroots sport participation legacy for disabled adults in England,will be the focus of this study. Supplementing the views of the NDSOs, this study will also report on secondary quantitative data which enhances our understanding of the impact of the 2012 Paralympic Games on the grassroots sport participation of disabled adults in England. Two national sport organisations and five of the eight NDSOs have so far been interviewed and will be the source of the qualitative data for this research. Preliminary results suggest the level of demand for sport after the Paralympics was greater than anticipated, with sport providers not being able to respond efficiently to the demand. There was also a lack of leveraging, issues with funding, and difficulties engaging with National Governing Bodies (NGBs). This study is still on-going and, when finalised, will also include the views of selected NGBs, County Sport Partnerships, and national sport organisations. The results of this study will represent the views of different stakeholder organisations involved in the delivery and management of grassroots disability sport in England, building our understanding of the 2012 Paralympic grassroots sport participation legacy for disabled adults.Non peer reviewedFinal Published versio

The 2012 Cultural Olympiad and Paralympic Games: An Opportunity to Challenge the Archetypal, Stereotypes of Disability for Good?

The article presents information on the 2012 Cultural Olympiad of Paralympic and Olympic Games with reference to equality among them. As proposed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) 2000 Commission, the ties between the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have been formalised due to which athletes of both games are hosted in the same Olympic Village, perform in the same stadiums and organised by the same committee

La cobertura mediática de las mujeres deportistas con discapacidad. Análisis de la prensa diaria de cuatro países europeos durante los Juegos Paralímpicos de Sidney 2000*

Las investigaciones sobre la mediatización de las mujeres deportistas muestran, por una parte, que éstas están menos representadas que los hombres, por otra, que su imagen está fuertemente sexualizada. Además, en contraposición a los hombres, los artículos de que son objeto las presentan generalmente en su papel de madre, mujer, etc.; es decir las enmarcan en ambientes no deportivos. Por añadidura, sabemos que en ciertos puntos el tratamiento mediático de deportistas con discapacidad es diferente al de quienes no la tienen. Pero ¿qué peculiaridades aparecen en el tratamiento mediático de las mujeres deportistas discapacitadas? El estudio de la cobertura de prensa de los Juegos Paralímpicos (Sidney 2000) presentado aquí (basado en un análisis cualitativo y cuantitativo de 108 artículos editados por periódicos alemanes, ingleses, españoles y franceses) muestra que, contrariamente a lo que se esperaba, las mujeres deportistas con discapacidad no están cuantitativamente menos representadas que los hombres. Por tanto, en este caso no hay estigmatización por ocultación específica. Sin embargo, ésta adopta formas más insidiosas. El análisis de los elementos cualitativos de los reportajes y de las fotos muestra que, efectivamente, las mujeres aparecen fuertemente “infantilizadas” y “trivializadas” (Jones, 1999) en los periódicos que cubren los Juegos Paralímpicos

Media Guide: How to cover the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games

The media plays a fundamental role in the trans- mission of cultural values and in the production and dissemination of social representation. However, various international studies have shown that the standard of media coverage of the Pa- ralympics has fallen well below the standards set by the Olympics. Unfortunately, the majority of media professionals has little knowledge for the Paralympic Games, which leads to a stereotypi- cal coverage of the event and of the Paralympic athletes. In order to promote a more inclusive and fairer coverage of sports for people with impairment, two academic institutions, the University of Kent and the Federal University of Parana, have joi- ned forces and, with financial support from the Newton Fund/Araucaria Foundation, have pro- duced this guide (which was in its original version is in Portuguese) for the use of professionals in the Brazilian media so that they can promote a more inclusive image of people with impairment during Rio 2016

La cobertura mediàtica de les dones esportistes amb discapacitat. Anàlisi de la premsa diària de quatre països europeus durant els Jocs Paralímpics de Sydney 2000*

Les investigacions sobre la mediatització de les dones esportistes mostren, per una banda, que aquestes estan menys representades que els homes, per una altra, que la seva imatge està fortament sexualitzada. A més, en contraposició amb els homes, els articles dels que són objecte les presenten generalment en el seu paper de mare, esposa, etc.; és a dir les emmarquen en ambients no esportius. Per afegiment, sabem que en certs punts el tractament mediàtic d’esportistes amb discapacitat és diferent al dels qui no la tenen. Però quines peculiaritats apareixen en el tractament mediàtic de les dones esportistes discapacitades? L’estudi de la cobertura de premsa dels Jocs Paralímpics (Sydney 2000) presentat aquí (basat en una anàlisi qualitativa i quantitativa de 108 articles editats per diaris alemanys, anglesos, espanyols i francesos) mostra que, contràriament al que s’esperava, les dones esportistes amb discapacitat no estan quantitativament menys representades que els homes. Per tant, en aquest cas no hi ha estigmatització per ocultació específica. Tanmateix, aquesta adopta formes més insidioses. L’anàlisi dels elements qualitatius dels reportatges i de les fotos mostra que, efectivament, les dones apareixen fortament “infantilitzades” i “trivialitzades” (Jones, 1999) als diaris que cobreixen els Jocs Paralímpics

Perceptions of Injured Athletes after Eight Weeks of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has been extensively applied as a clinical intervention by researchers’ who have made on-the-spot decisions research as part of their practice. This research was provided via a knowledge transfer of 8 weeks of MBSR based on the original MBSR version. The main objective of this study was to offer a qualitative explorative insight into the perceived experience of participating in a MBSR program for injured athletes. A semi structured interview was conducted with each injured athlete who participated in this study. A thematic analysis was applied to explore the themes which emerged from injured athletes’ experience after 8 weeks of participation in a MBSR program. Five themes emerged from injured athletes’ attitudes towards MBSR: 1) Reconnecting with the body, 2) Reconnecting with the mind, 3) Passivity of MBSR as opposed to the athletic praxis, 4) Group versus self-guided MBSR, 5) Acceptance of pain. These different themes are presented and discussed below. This particular qualitative exploratory investigation was based on injured athletes’ experiences in this study; MBSR can benefit them during the sport rehabilitation process. As such, the findings will promote scientific understanding about the effectiveness of MBSR as a clinical intervention. It should also be noted that, more investigation is required to find out about the role of mindfulness meditation in terms of therapeutic aspects with injured athletes

Towards an Olympic volunteering legacy: motivating volunteers to serve and remain – a case study of London 2012 Olympic Games volunteers

Volunteers are often seen as 'soft infrastructure' following the legacy plans of host nations aiming to stage the Olympic Games. This refers to social mobility and the potential of further utilising such volunteer resources to other future events and activities that would benefit the community. The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants of a volunteer legacy following volunteers' involvement with the London 2012 Olympic Games. A total of 163 volunteers involved with the transport department of London 2012 completed a web-based survey. Factor analysis was employed to summarise volunteers' motivations. The analysis yielded five reliable dimensions of their motivations. Regression analysis was then applied to identify which motivations, sociodemographic characteristics and sport engagement variables had an impact on future intentions for volunteering. The implications of the findings for a potential social legacy of volunteering are explored

“The Legacy Element . . . It Just Felt More Woolly”: Exploring the Reasons for the Decline in People With Disabilities’ Sport Participation in England 5 Years After the London 2012 Paralympic Games

This article explores why sports participation of people with disabilities in England has declined since the London 2012 Paralympic Games (LPG). Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with staff employed in a variety of sports and disability-specific organisations. Our preliminary findings suggest that the decline is a result of a complex interplay between multiple factors. A competency gap and a lack of relevance between Paralympians and the rest of the community of people with disabilities might have limited the impact of the legacy. In addition, an absence of coordinated leveraging of the LPG, and a decline in the media coverage of disability sport in the aftermath of the LPG, might also have dulled the legacy. Finally, our data shows that austerity and negative media coverage of people with disabilities deterred some people from participating in sport

Post-Event Volunteering Legacy: Did the London 2012 Games Induce a Sustainable Volunteer Engagement?

Abstract: The hosting of the London 2012 Olympic Games was seen as an opportunity to harness the enthusiasm of the 70,000 volunteers involved and to provide a post-event volunteer legacy. A total of 77 individuals who had acted as volunteers in London 2012 were contacted approximately four years after the Games and agreed to complete a web-based open-ended survey. The participants were asked to indicate their level of current volunteering engagement and whether volunteering at the Games had an impact on their current volunteering levels. The study found that the London Olympics were the first volunteer experience for most of the volunteers who completed the survey, with the main motivation to volunteer being anything related to the Olympic Games. Just over half of the respondents are currently volunteering. Lack of time is shown to be the main barrier towards further volunteering commitment. Only half of respondents had been contacted by a volunteering scheme after London 2012. The implications of the findings for a potential volunteering legacy are then explored