Purpose
The project aims to develop an ethical framework that balances fairness and equality of opportunity with pragmatic competition needs in the three dynamic wheelchair sports on the Paralympic programme – wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, and wheelchair tennis. The framework addresses the central research question: What is a fair and just classification system in these sports?
An answer to this question involves examining broader ethical challenges to Paralympic classification, the normative structure of sport itself, and how we understand ability/disability. Through this comprehensive approach, the project seeks to contribute to these fundamental topics within the philosophy of sport.
Project Description
The project will be conducted as a philosophical analysis where Rawls’ (1971/1999) ‘reflective equilibrium’ will be utilized as a framework for structuring and clarifying the practical reasoning.
