Insider Perspectives on the Sustainability of the Malaysian and Singaporean Paralympic Movements

Abstract

The paper reports on in-depth qualitative interviews with six participants involved in the Paralympic movement: One past and three present Para-athletes as well as high-ranking administrative representatives from both National Paralympic Committees of Malaysia and Singapore. These insiders share experiences and opinions on the local movements, media, and measures for future developments in the South East Asian region. Findings suggest that the Para-movements in Malaysia and Singapore are promoting the sustainability of the movement through funding opportunities and educational campaigns. Moreover, links between the persons with disabilities (PWD) community and the business landscape are increasing the inclusive culture in these societies. However, improvements can be made to promote further sustainability: more interaction between the Para-athletes and Paralympic Committees; higher remuneration for Paralympic gold medal winners in Singapore; greater media representation of Para-sports; and more visibility of PWD in public spaces.