The government as a promoter of adapted physical activity and para sports

The National Sports Council that works under the Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for actions concerning adapted physical activity and para sports. The National Sports Council has a long tradition in promoting APA and para sports. It has had a central role in creating the municipal adapted sport instructor system, founding the professorship of APA at the University of Jyväskylä, developing APA services and disability sport integration, observing accessibility in sport facilities, and starting extensive work promoting equity in national sport associations.

The actions of the state government in the field of APA and para sports were introduced in the report from 2018 called “The State as a Promoter of Adapted Physical Activity and Para Sports”. The report states that in addition to the Ministry of Education and Culture many other sectors of the government promoted APA and para sports either directly or indirectly through their projects and grants even if this was not the primary goal.

It has been stated that the more functional limitations a person has the more effect decisions of different sectors of the government have on the person’s life. Therefore, it would be important to have more collaboration between the different sectors of the government so that they would promote APA and para sports together.