Sports and Prospects for People with Disabilities: From Adaptation to Inclusive Transformation Introduction: paradigm shift — from rehabilitation to high achievements The modern understanding of sports for people with disabilities has undergone a cardinal evolution: from a purely rehabilitative and therapeutic practice in the mid-20th century to a full-fledged field of elite sports, technological innovations, and a powerful social tool. This movement reflects a general shift in the perception of disability — from a medical model (disability as a problem of the individual) to a social one (disability as a problem of interaction between the individual and the environment). Sport has become one of the key drivers of this transformation, creating new prospects at the individual, technological, and social levels. Historical Context: from Stoke Mandeville to the Paralympic Games The starting point is 1948, when British neurosurgeon Ludwig Guttmann organized sports competitions for veterans of World War II with spinal cord injuries at the Stoke Mandeville hospital. This was a purely rehabilitative method for preventing complications and restoring morale. However, by 1960, these games had grown into the first international Stoke Mandeville Games in Rome, which are considered the prototype of the Paralympics. The official merger of the Olympic and Paralympic movements (since 1988, the Games have been held at the same venues) solidified the status of sports for athletes with disabilities as sports of high achievement, not just therapy. Individual Prospects: multi-dimensional impact Participation in sports opens up a comprehensive range of opportunities for a person with a disability, far beyond physical activity: Psychophysiological rehabilitation and health: Sport combats hypokinesia, secondary complications, improves coordination, strength, and cardiovascular-respiratory function. However, the focus has shifted from basic recovery to specialized physical training for a spec ... Read more