Towards a System Theoretical Understanding of the Parasport Context

Contextual factors are fundamental but often overlooked elements of parasport that can introduce various complexities within the parasport system. The purpose of this paper is to identify and categorize contextual factors that influence the parasport system and to examine the extent to which these factors influence the development of para-athletes' pathways. Drawing from a system theoretical perspective, this research uses data gathered from 32 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders of the Brazilian Paralympic sports system. Thematic coding resulted in the identification of nine main themes that constitute the contextual factors of the Brazilian parasport system. The findings confirm that insofar as parasport is embedded in the complex cultural and national environment, it is not possible to understand parasport and the para-athlete trajectories without understanding the country's particular context with respect to disability. This paper thus provides insights toward better understanding the relationship between the diversity within the parasport systems and the socio-cultural context of a country.