Document Type : Original Article
Authors
- abbas jahan tab nezhad 1
- Tahere Azmsha 2
- Sedigheh Heydarinejad 3
- Seyed Hossein Marashian 4
- Amin khatibi 4
1 Ph.D student in sport management, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
2 Assistant professor in Department of sport management, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
3 Professor in Department of sport management, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
4 Associate professor in Department of sport management, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
Abstract
The present study was conducted with the aim of designing a development model for disability sports in Iran based on the dynamic interaction between mass participation and elite success.Methodologically, the research is applied in purpose and qualitative in nature, employing Glaserian grounded theory.Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 22 participants(including athletes with disabilities, coaches, and sport managers), as well as through the review of relevant documents and records. Purposeful and snowball sampling strategies were used, and data collection continued until theoretical saturation was reached (interviews 21 and 22). Data analysis through open, theoretical, and selective coding led to the identification of eight core categories: inclusive and adaptive infrastructure, human resources and specialized training, adaptive equipment and technology, integrated policymaking and governance, digital representation and motivation, psychological and individual–social drivers, social participation and inclusive ecosystems, and technological and social innovations.The findings revealed that the core category is the reciprocal interaction between mass participation and elite success; that is, mass sports facilitate elite pathways by enhancing self-confidence, talent identification, and social engagement, while elite achievements, through media representation and role modeling, increase motivation and public participation.The final conceptual model provides a context-specific framework for integrated policymaking in disability sports development, emphasizing the mediating role of technological and social innovation between structural variables (infrastructure, human resources,digital representation) and psychological and social outcomes.Based on the results, it is recommended that policymakers incorporate this cycle into national planning to promote social justice, enhance public health, and ensure the sustainable development of disability sports
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