Motives for Sport Participation of Athletes with Intellectual Disability

The present study aimed at knowing the reasons which led Brazilian athletes with intellectual disability to engage in sports practice and to take part in competitions promoted by the Special Olympics Brazil. A hundred and two athletes, between 21 and 49 years old, were evaluated through the Sport Motivation Questionnaire developed by Shapiro (2003). The data showed that the athletes took part mainly to get ribbons and medals, to play with other people from the team, to go to new and different places and to feel like an important person. The order of importance given to the motives differs when the results are compared according to gender. It was noticed a significant difference between men and women and the group aged from 30 to 49 years considering the reason: to practice. The results of the present study reflect that the motives towards the sport practice of the athletes with intellectual disability are predominantly oriented by personal and environmental factors