Wheelchair Basketball Athletes' Participation in Sports: An Examination within the Scope of the Social Model

This study was conducted with the aim of examining the factors that hinder, facilitate, and benefit the participation of wheelchair basketball athletes in sports within the framework of the social model. Employing a phenomenological research design, fitting for the nature of the inquiry, the study utilized qualitative research methods. The sample comprised thirteen (13) wheelchair basketball players competing in the top league in Türkiye. Data collection employed a semi-structured interview format, with face-to-face interviews conducted with the athletes. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data, revealing three (3) main themes and twelve (12) sub-themes. Findings suggest that structural barriers pose the most significant hindrance to wheelchair basketball players, while individual facilitators enhance participation, and psychological benefits are predominantly derived from sports engagement. In conclusion, despite encountering numerous inhibiting factors, wheelchair basketball athletes persist in sports participation and attain personal development, facilitated by environmental, structural, and individual factors.