Unbelievable – wheelchair users ride a bike, dance or parachute! Collective wheelchair sports activities in summer 2015 and resocialization of handicapped people

My study concerns issues dealing with the social rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injuries. I want to show that disability still remains a taboo for many people. The greatest barriers facing disabled people are prejudice, discrimination and social isola- tion. This is largely caused by the media represen- tation of disability, which is often stereotypical and one-dimensional. I presume that sport is a very good means of returning to active life. It also has a great influence on physical, psychological and social health. The positive images of athletes with disabilities can change the stereotypes of disability in the media and in film, as well as the perception of disability by the public. I work with my own experience – since 2013 I have been a quadriplegic, and sport (especially danc- ing) helps me with physical and social rehabilitation. My research has a quantitative and qualitative part. Materials were collected on my own, with the help of informants at the sports courses of Centrum Paraple and Sportovní klub vozíčkářů Praha. In the quanti- tative part, I am interested in statistical information regarding gender, age, diagnosis, etc. The qualitative part deals with personal assistance during the courses and the relationship between assistant and wheelchair user