The "Second Place" Problem: Assistive Technology in Sports and (Re) Constructing Normal

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Disability Studies
• Philosophy of Technology

Background:

• Elite sports often object to assistive technologies due to perceived unfair advantages and threats to sport purity.
• Current objections rely on quantifying 'normal' body performance, creating unequal standards for athletes with and without assistive technologies.
• This creates a double standard where athletes using assistive technologies are restricted, while others can exceed norms without scrutiny.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how fairness and normality constructions impact athletes using assistive technology in elite sports.
• To critique the reliance on body performance as the sole metric for 'normal' in sports.
• To propose alternative frameworks for establishing norms in elite sports.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of fairness and normality in elite sports.
• Examination of ethical objections to assistive technologies in sports.
• Literature review on the impact of technology on athletic performance and societal norms.

Main Results:

• Constructions of 'normal' in elite sports are dynamic and often obfuscated.
• Using body performance as the benchmark for normality disadvantages athletes using assistive technologies.
• Existing norms restrict opportunities for athletes with disabilities while allowing unimpeded advancement for others.

Conclusions:

• Elite sports should shift from body performance-based norms to regulating the mechanical actions critical to sports.
• This redefinition of norms can promote greater fairness and inclusivity for athletes using assistive technologies.
• The discussion extends to broader societal implications of defining 'normal' in an increasingly technological world.