Sports practice and its importance in integrating people with disabilities

Abstract

The integration and rehabilitation of people with disabilities into society has social and educational value, helping them become self-reliant and participate in finding suitable employment. This alleviates their burdens, facilitates their adaptation, and transforms their outlook from one of despair to one of hope, desire, and motivation to begin a new life. Sports and their activities occupy a special and important place for people with disabilities, as they aim to enhance their intellectual and physical abilities and provide them with the necessary training to ensure proper educational preparation according to the philosophy of physical education. Furthermore, sports offer a platform for people with disabilities to connect with society, thus overcoming the isolation and loneliness they face due to their disability. Experience has shown that the more a person with a disability engages in sports activities, the more diverse experiences they gain, which in turn leads to the acquisition of desirable social habits (Marwan Abdul Majeed Ibrahim, 2007, pp. 9-112). One of the most prominent problems faced by people with disabilities is their lack of integration and interaction with society. The process of interaction and integration of people with disabilities is of great importance to their psychological and social well-being. This is confirmed by Bomerary (1964), who states that people with disabilities have the same requirements and needs as able-bodied individuals in order to develop physically, socially, and intellectually (pp. 15-96). Sports for people with disabilities are a targeted educational process with its own purposes, objectives, and importance. It is a civilized phenomenon that reflects a developed society, playing a positive role and contributing to the development process to the extent that its capabilities allow. Marwan Abdul Majeed Ibrahim (2002) states that it is important to bring people with disabilities together or in close proximity so that they have the opportunity to compete, which raises their morale. This is achieved through sports education programs and activities (pp. 9-126).