Insider Perspectives on Saudi Arabia’s Fakher Disability Sports Programme

Majed M. Alhumaid (), Mark Brooke and Selina Khoo
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Majed M. Alhumaid: Department of Physical Education, College of Education, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Mark Brooke: University Town Writing Programme, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117511, Singapore
Selina Khoo: Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 17, 1-14

Abstract: In recent years, Saudi Arabia has made many efforts to support people with disabilities. One of these efforts is the Fakher Programme Initiative. The programme provides substantial financial support and training for around 350 para-athletes with physical disabilities or cerebral palsy. This research sought to provide a thick description of the programme’s aims, its successes, and the challenges faced, based on the reports of significant stakeholders. In-depth interviews with 26 participants from different stakeholder groups (para-athletes, coaches, administrators, para-athlete families, individuals interested in para-sports, and the CEO of the Fakher Programme) were conducted individually to provide rich insider perspectives. An interpretive phenomenological analysis approach was applied to analyse the interviews. Two main dimensions were identified: (i) the positive impacts of the Fakher Programme Initiative and (ii) further recommended improvements to the Fakher Programme Initiative. Although most of the participants expressed positive perspectives on the programme (e.g., developing collaboration, health benefits, infrastructural support, and raising awareness of people with disabilities), improvements can be made in the form of psychological support for elite para-athletes in training and more developed national and international media coverage of disability sports in Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: Paralympic; para-athletes; para sports; athletes with disabilities; people with disabilities; physical disabilities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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