[Competitive sports for handicapped patients. Motivation--attitude--facts]

Selected findings are presented from an Emnid public opinion research institute study of n = 241 disabled competitive athletes. The majority of the interviewees engage in competitive sports for "pleasure in achievement", with their successes seen as confirmation of self and in turn entailing enhanced self-esteem and confidence in their own potential for achievement. On comparison with the performance of nondisabled competitive athletes, the majority of interviewees tend to consider their performance on a par. Disabled athletes hold the opinion that their public visibility constitutes a major contribution towards societal recognition of disabled persons. They hence also see themselves as widely accepted as competitive sportsmen/-women by society at large. Also, their sporting successes contribute to a higher standing among their friends and acquaintances. The disabled sportsmen and -women do not anticipate any health hazards on account of their training and competition participation. The interview findings outlined are discussed in light of current knowledge and experience in the field of disabled competitive sports.