Advancing research and practice in Para sport: Performance, Participation, and Inclusion

Para Sport is a multidisciplinary field situated at the intersection of sports science, disability studies, and the sociocultural and policy landscape. While participation in Para Sport has grown rapidly at all levels, athletes with disabilities continue to encounter systemic challenges affecting their access, equity, and holistic well-being. There are deepening debates regarding the optimization of support for Para athletes, encompassing fair classification, the application and ethics of assistive technologies, and the nuanced psychosocial effects of athletic participation. Recent empirical studies have expanded our understanding of training adaptations, coaching strategies, and health outcomes specific to Para athletes. However, comprehensive synthesis of these findings, especially at cross-disciplinary boundaries, is limited. Efforts to translate this evidence into impactful policy and practice remain nascent, and critical knowledge gaps persist—particularly regarding how lived experiences, cultural contexts, and impairment diversity shape the Para Sport journey.Growing interest in social science approaches has further highlighted the need to explore how Para Sport environments are both constructed and experienced, and how these settings can contest or perpetuate ableism. Notably, Para Sport events—ranging from local grassroots competitions to prominent international tournaments—hold transformative potential to reshape public perceptions, influence policy, and catalyze inclusive pathways for broader participation. Despite this, research on how to intentionally leverage events for sustainable community engagement and structural change is scarce and underdeveloped.This Research Topic aims to foster innovative and interdisciplinary scholarship that bridges science and practice in Para Sport. The chief objectives are to deepen understanding of the mechanisms that facilitate or obstruct participation, optimize performance and health, and drive equitable opportunities for individuals with physical, sensory, or intellectual impairments. Central research questions encompass athlete development trajectories, effective and ethical use of assistive technology, robust return-to-play protocols, and the intersection of organizational and sociocultural factors affecting access, inclusion, and athlete well-being. By foregrounding diverse methodologies and amplifying voices from within the Para Sport community—including athletes, coaches, practitioners, officials, and policymakers—this Research Topic aspires to inform best-practice guidelines, dismantle barriers to participation, and support the sustainable growth of Para Sport worldwide.This Research Topic will consider submissions focused on athletes with disabilities across all impairment types and sports settings, excluding topics unrelated to sport. To gather further insights in this evolving arena, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Developmental pathways and participation trends in Para Sport• Training, coaching, and evidence-based athlete support• Safety, injury risk, and return-to-sport practices• Implementation and impact (including equity implications) of assistive technologies and equipment• Classification, governance, and integrity in Para Sport systems• Psychosocial factors, motivation, identity, and well-being• Inclusion, accessibility, and the lived experiences of stakeholders• Organizational culture, policy, and barriers or facilitators to participation• Social science analyses of inclusion, representation, and ableism in Para Sport contexts• The role of Para sport events in challenging ableism, shaping public narratives, and driving participation growth• Event design, legacy, and community pathways that translate exposure into sustained Para Sport participation Topic editors: Laurie A. Malone, J.P. Barfield Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76849/advancing-research-and-practice-in-para-sport-performance-participation-and-inclusion