Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Master of Arts

Program

Kinesiology

Supervisor

Misener, Laura

Abstract

Major Games such as the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto (TO2015) generate the potential to bring awareness to sport participation opportunities for people with impairment (Chalip et al, 2017). In the post-games era, it is important to examine the ways in which sport program managers recognize the outcomes of games-related leveraging initiatives. Teleconference interviews were conducted with twelve program managers in the Greater Toronto Area. The study followed an interpretive descriptive methodology and employed a theoretical construct of recognition as a novel approach to assess the legacy and social impacts of hosting parasport games. A form of thematic analysis was used to interpret interview data and bring to surface the perspectives and attitudes of sport program managers involved in any ongoing legacy initiatives. The knowledge acquired from this study suggests that a concept of recognition can support the assessment of the long-term impacts of hosting major games.

Summary for Lay Audience

Major parasport games generate the potential to bring awareness to sport participation opportunities for people with impairment (Chalip et al, 2017). Parasport games planners assume that through the hosting process, a level of awareness was generated towards the event by means of leveraging initiatives, program adaptations, and venue accommodations (Misener, Taks, Chalip, & Green, 2015 In the post-games era, it is important to examine the ways in which sport program managers recognize the outcomes of games-related leveraging initiatives. This research employed a theoretical construct of recognition as a novel approach to assess the event legacy and the social impacts of hosting parasport games. The legacy and impact of a set of major parasport games can be expressed in the continued recognition of disability within the sport community. Any ongoing recognition of parasport in the legacy outcomes of major sport events implies that there is an esteemed value through a mutual and embraced idea of sport as being an impetus for positive social change (Honneth, 1996; Silvers, 1999). Teleconference interviews were conducted with twelve program managers in the Greater Toronto Area. The study followed an interpretive descriptive approach and applied a novel concept of recognition as a guiding framework to the areas of parasport and event legacy. Interpretive description views the research problem as residing within two or more conceptual, action and value related factors (Thorne, 2008). This research study looked to go beyond what can simply be remembered from the games hosting timeframe and focused on the core areas associated with the recognition of parasport, facility adaptations, programming accommodations and the overall sociocultural impact of an event that was hosted 6 years ago. A form of critical thematic analysis was used to identify the social structures and attitudes that promoted an ongoing recognition of impairment in the post-event legacy outcomes, while bringing to surface the perspectives and attitudes of parasport managers. The knowledge acquired from this study suggests that a concept of recognition can support the assessment the long-term impacts of hosting major games.

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