Category: A News

22/07/2026

Commonwealth Games: Powered By Volunteers.

This summer, from Thursday 23^rd July to Sunday 2^nd August, the Commonwealth Games will take place. Being held in Glasgow, Scotland, the upcoming edition of the Multi Sport event, will provide the Scottish nation with a front row seat to watch some of the world’s finest athletes perform at the highest level. Taking centre stage, the athletes will prepare to represent their countries, and everyone who has supported them throughout their journeys in sport.

Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) are not only proud to play an ongoing part in Scotland’s sporting system, throughout grassroot sport and the performance pathway, supporting Scottish athletes as they make the transition from playground to podium. But to also have a committed team of staff and volunteers that will be supporting at Glasgow 2026.

SDS’s Education and Learning Manager, Alison Shaw, will be at the Games, as part of a dedicated Athletes Services team at Tollcross International Swimming Centre, covering the swimming and para swimming competitions. Alison will play a vital role in making sure that athletes have everything they need, in order to perform at the highest level.

Looking forward to the Games starting, Alison said: “I’m most looking forward to the buzz of the Games – just being part of all the excitement is such a great feeling. I’m also looking forward to meeting other volunteers and looking after the swimmers.”

“Glasgow 2026 is going to play a huge part in creating a whole host of role models. Not only will the Games feature athletes from a range of backgrounds – including different ages, abilities, impairments, sports and cultures, but the same can be said of the staff and volunteers who are just as diverse. The Glasgow 2026 team has done a lot of work to understand the needs of different groups, including working with the SDS Young Persons’ Sports Panel to make sure that the volunteering application process and opportunities was inclusive for disabled people, ensuring there’ll be a role model for everyone at the Games this year.”

Also at the Games, will be SDS’s Central Regional Manager, Mark Stevenson, who will have a busy schedule, being Head Coach for Team Scotland’s 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball squads. Through undertaking several positions in the sport, such as Great Britain’s U23 Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team’s Head Coach, Mark has made himself an integral part of Scotland’s Wheelchair Basketball network.

With Team Scotland’s Men’s and Women’s 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball squads starting their campaigns on Saturday 25^th July, Mark is excited for what is to come, he said: “I am extremely proud to be supporting the Scotland squad’s preparations. We have two great squads and are part of an absolutely amazing Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball 3×3 programme. The Commonwealth Games is the highest competition that we can compete in the Blue of Scotland, in Wheelchair Basketball, as it is TeamGB for Paralympics, European and Worlds. We cannot wait to do ourselves proud, compete with the best in the world and come home with medals.”

As Scotland’s governing body for boccia, SDS has built up an amazing network of dedicated volunteers, coaches and officials, who work to support the delivery of boccia sessions, clubs, events and competitions. One of these volunteers is Ling Man, who volunteers for Dumfries and Galloway Disability Sport, delivering boccia and swimming sessions.

At the Commonwealth Games, Ling will be part of the volunteer team at Scotstoun Athletics “As this is my first time volunteering at a major event, I am nervous at what to expect, as well as being excited to meet other volunteers and elite athletes. I do not currently know too much about what my role will be throughout the Games. However, what I do know is that Glasgow 2026 is an amazing opportunity to showcase Scotland’s passion for inclusive sport, and to demonstrate what people with disabilities can achieve at the highest level. I’m proud to be part of an event that celebrates talent, determination and community, and I’m looking forward to playing my part in making it a memorable experience.” Ling said.

Josh Thomson, SDS’s Events Manager, will also be at the Games this summer, undertaking the role of Commonwealth Games Association Assistant. Primarily providing administrative support to the Commonwealth Association of Papua New Guinea, Josh will play an important role, helping them to have a fun, successful and enjoyable experience during their time in Glasgow.

With an opportunity to have a front row seat to the sport this summer, Josh is looking forward to seeing the importance of major events in the sporting pathway “I think the Commonwealth Games is a vital sporting opportunity within the performance pathway. For young Scottish athletes in particular to see athletes in their sport competing internationally while wearing the Team Scotland jersey will be so inspiring and motivating. The chance for some athletes to get that first step onto the international stage in front of an incredible and supportive home crowd will help them so much and be a real benefit to their career development moving forward. The sharing of their knowledge and experiences from these games will undoubtedly help the next generation of athletes coming through. Overall, the games give belief to upcoming athletes that international sport can be achievable for them as well.” Josh said.

To find out how you can get started as a volunteer in sport, reach out to Scottish Disability Sport at admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or contact your local SDS Branch.

To keep up to date with all things disability sport across Scotland, follow Scottish Disability Sport on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

13/07/2026

Mary Wilson: Daring To Dream.

Mary’s Road to Glasgow

This summer in Glasgow, the Commonwealth Games will take centre stage, with international sport being showcased at the highest level. However, surrounding the sport this summer, will be stories of resilience, determination and individuals with a deep love of sport.

Mary Wilson’s journey is most certainly one of these, signing up for the army when she was in her twenties, having twenty years of service, before being medically discharged due to multiple sclerosis, going on to be a competitive athlete, and having recently recovered from cancer.

Coming into 2026, the Commonwealth Games were at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and Mary was no exception, allowing herself to imagine about pulling on a Scotland jersey, she said: “Before I was selected, I dared to dream that I could possibly make the team.”

With the Commonwealth Games being a flagship event, many athletes have based their training programmes around qualifying and performing in Glasgow, and Mary believes her grit and determination whilst training is one of the reasons she has made it to the competition “Basically it has just been hard work. From the bowler I was last year, to the bowler I am this year, I’ve made a massive improvement, I’m miles better than I was, and that is pretty much just down to practicing.”

In 2004, Mary’s career in the Armed Forces came to a sudden stop, being medically discharged on account of her multiple sclerosis. Following this, Mary went on a journey of discovery in sport, which led to her competing in both the Warrior and Invictus Games, along with revisiting badminton, a sport she played competitively in her youth. Rekindling the badminton fire proved to be fruitful, with Mary having a incredibly successful career, accumulating over 50 caps for Scotland.

Reflecting on her experiences competing in the Warrior and Invictus Games, Mary is incredibly grateful for the opportunity, and more so, what being in a team environment with other para athletes taught her about survival “It changed me. It made me realise that I’m not annoyed about having multiple sclerosis, It’s given me a new direction.” Mary said.

Although Mary has been surrounded by bowls her whole life, often going to the local bowling club as a child to watch her dad compete. It wasn’t until 2015 that she had one of her first experiences playing, since then Mary has had a remarkable rise in the sport.

The link between Mary’s late father, and his love of the sport she now represents Scotland in, provides Mary with an extra desire to be at the top of her game this summer, she commented: “It was actually my dad who got me into bowling, and he passed away in 2016. I just wish he could see how far I’ve come.”

“This one is definitely for him, if we medal in the Commonwealth Games, I think there will be a few tears, it will be pretty emotional, because it was all down to him really.”

At the upcoming Commonwealth Games, Mary Wilson will be partnered by former Commonwealth Gold medal winner, Pauline Wilson (no relation!), as they prepare to compete in the B6/8 Pairs competition. Since joining forces two years ago, Pauline and Mary have seen some great successes, including making it to the final of Bowls Scotland’s European Open, winning National Championships gold, and Four Nations Para Women’s Pairs gold. However, Mary puts their ability to build a strong partnership in a relatively short amount of time down to the relationship they have developed “We understand each other really well. She is a brilliant bowler, you know, she was one of the gold medalist at the last Commonwealth Games. We just communicate and get each other, which is a massive part of being a team.”

Armed with a strong partnership, and the will to represent her father in Glasgow, Mary has her goals for the competition firmly set in her mind, stating: “I have two goals, one is to play the best I’ve ever played, and two is to win a gold medal with my partner Pauline, for us and for Scotland.”

With friends and family planning on attending the Scottish Events Campus(SEC), to watch Mary and Pauline kick start their campaign, Mary finds herself being full of pride at the prospect of representing Team Scotland “I’m so proud to wear the thistle or tartan of Scotland. Because for me, Scotland means everything.” Said Mary.

Along with having opportunities to travel and represent her family and Scotland, Mary has been impacted by sport throughout her life, she said: “Truthfully I think sport has kept me going. I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have sport, and my Physiotherapist said that if I didn’t have sport, and I wasn’t as fit as I could be, I’d be in a wheelchair.”

To find out how you can get started on your pathway in sport, reach out to Scottish Disability Sport at admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or contact your local SDS Branch.

To keep up to date with all things disability sport across Scotland, follow Scottish Disability Sport on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

13/07/2026

Garry Brown: Preparing to defend Para Bowls title on home turf.

As the clock hand ticks forward, second by second, Garry Brown waits to defend his Commonwealth title. Being selected to represent Team Scotland for a third time is not something that Garry is taking lightly, with Glasgow 2026 already setting up to be a career highlight.

Garry will be arriving at Glasgow 2026 as reigning B6-B8 Pairs champion, a title that he successfully claimed in Birmingham, whilst partnered up with team-mate Kevin Wallace. cccAlong with having an opportunity to launch a title defence, the 2026 iteration of the Commonwealth Games has a lot more to offer, with Garry having the chance to represent Team Scotland in Scotland.

Being a passionate Scot, Garry has had the Glasgow-based Games in his mind since they were announced. Making the news of being selected overwhelmingly hard not to share, he said: “We actually found out a couple of weeks prior to the team being released, and we basically got told, ‘look keep it under wraps, don’t tell anybody’, and that’s probably the hardest thing I’ve done.”

However, the Para Bowls squad for the Games has been announced, and Garry is full of pride at the prospect of playing for Team Scotland in another Commonwealth Games “The only time you get to pull on a Scotland jersey is either World Championships or Commonwealth Games, for me the Commonwealth Games are the pinnacle of bowls.” The 43-year-old said.

Glasgow 2026 will mark the first time the Para Bowls competition will be played indoors, with all previous games having it as part of their outdoor events programme. Garry feels like this could provide an advantage to the Scottish team, packing a passionate home crowd indoors, he commented: “It’s going to be special, the majority of the crowd are going to be supporting us.”

“it’s going to be like having an extra team member, because they are just going to cheer everything, every time we play a good bowl the roof is going to get raised up.”

Take the excitement of a home games, and large crowd out of the picture, and you will find out that Garry is arriving with one thing on his mind, winning a second B6/B8 Pairs title, alongside his partner Stuart Sloam “Gold for me is the dream, that must be everybody’s dream I take it, and being involved in high-level sport all my days, I know what it takes to win gold. I know that me and Stuart will be more than ready.”

Growing up with cerebral palsy, Garry was a keen athlete, being a devoted footballer and swimmer. However, it was a chat with former Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) Chairperson, and leading disability sport influencer, Richard Brickley OBE MBE, that persuaded Garry to attempt a move onto the Para Bowls scene. Of course, a move that has proved fruitful, as Garry has gone on to win multiple international medals.

Although, it is the performance on the 2^nd of August 2022, in Birmingham, that will be one of the most memorable moments of Garry’s career “Anytime I get the chance to pull on the Scotland jersey is a real highlight. But obviously the biggest highlight is winning the gold medal in 2022 in Birmingham”

Looking back at Kevin and his victory four years ago, not only has Garry been remembering it fondly, but it has become a massive source of motivation for the man from South Lanarkshire “Knowing I was in the team, I actually went back and watched the final three times, just so I could go, ‘I really want this again’”.

Garry and Stuart will still be a relatively new pairing by the time Glasgow 2026 rolls around. Though Garry is convinced that won’t be an issue for the B6/B8 Pair, knowing they will both do whatever it takes to be at the top of their game come the competition, he said: “By the time we hit Glasgow we will be practicing every weekend together, or whenever we can around work, we’re just going to get better and better.”

The Games may provide an amazing opportunity for Garry and Stuart to write their names in Commonwealth history. However, they will offer a lot more. With family, friends, coaches and former team-mates in the crowd, the pair have an opportunity to show what a lifetime of support has meant “Me and Stuart aren’t just doing it for us, it’s not about us, it’s about everybody. The minute you pull that Scotland jersey on it’s about everybody who has ever come and watched you, everybody who has ever helped you.” Garry said.

To find out how you can get started on your pathway in sport, reach out to Scottish Disability Sport at admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or contact your local SDS Branch.

To keep up to date with all things disability sport across Scotland, follow Scottish Disability Sport on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

13/07/2026

Defying the odds: Faye Rogers on representing Scotland.

This summer in Glasgow the Commonwealth Games will take centre stage, with athletes world over flocking to the west coast of Scotland, in search of writing their names into Commonwealth history. However, the latest iteration of the Games will see athletes competing with all types of motivating factors.

For Faye Rogers, Glasgow 2026 will provide her with an opportunity to represent Scotland, and those that have supported her throughout her life. Whilst showing the world over that having a disability hasn’t changed what is possible.

Coming into the year, the focus was on rounding into form for Glasgow, and due to the Commonwealth Games’s qualification system, working off of rankings, everyone knew where they stood. However, qualifying wasn’t enough, all athletes needed to be selected, and with Faye qualifying for both Scotland and England, she had a decision to make.

Choosing to represent Team Scotland, and wear the thistle with pride, Faye commented: “It just felt right, my Dad’s family are all Scottish, and my Dad was very keen about me being Scottish. But, I live in Scotland, I train in Scotland, and all my team mates represent Scotland. It just felt like that was the team I identified with more.”

“My entire para journey has taken place in Scotland, I did grow up swimming in England, but I was living in Scotland when I got classified and, that whole journey has taken place here, and that might have contributed, honestly it just felt like the right decision.”

With the 2026 edition of the Games being based in Glasgow, all of Team Scotland’s athletes have an opportunity to compete in front of family, friends, and anyone who has supported them throughout their journey, something that Faye is excited about “The opportunity to race in Glasgow is really cool, with it being a home Games, they can all come and watch, and that is really special.”

At the 2024 Paris Summer Paralympic Games, Faye won S10 100m Butterfly gold, going on to announce herself on the world stage, something that she looks back on with an immense amount of pride. However, her favorite moment as an athlete came in 2025, and, it wasn’t about the silverware, it was about what it taught her “Actually for me my career highlight was trials in 2025, the British Swimming Championships, the 200m butterfly, which isn’t even a Paralympic event, and it was the first time that I had swam faster than I had done before my accident. I beat my able bodied PB (personal best) for that event, that was just huge for me, just to prove to myself I guess. I could acquire an impairment, and yes – I had to work so much harder – but I could swim faster than I ever did without an impairment, and that is pretty cool, that was huge for me.”

All of her achievements, including those in 2025, reminds Faye of the hard conversations that took place in 2021, following a car crash that she was involved in. Which resulted in considerable damage to her right arm “There was a time when I was told I would never be able to swim competitively again, certainly not at the level I was at, and I’ve proved that wrong. Not only am I swimming at a considerably higher level than I was, but I am actually doing it faster than I was.”

So far in 2026, Faye has hit the ground running, competing in the 2026 Para Swimming World Series, Berlin, where she delivered several world-class performances, breaking the European Record in the S10 100m Butterfly, and British Record in the S10 100m Freestyle, making her the first female British swimmer to finish under one minute in her classification (S10).

Boyed by her recent results, Faye is excited for Glasgow, feeling like the home crowd element of the upcoming Games will provide her with more confidence, she said: “The home crowd advantage is going to be crazy, I think, I raced French athletes in Paris, and just imagine if that crowd is cheering for you.”

“I’m really going to try and use it as fuel, rather than pressure, because at the end of the day, everyone is there because they want to see you do well.”

To find out how you can get started on your pathway in sport, reach out to Scottish Disability Sport at admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or contact your local SDS Branch.

To keep up to date with all things disability sport across Scotland, follow Scottish Disability Sport on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

22/06/2026

Nominations Open for SDS Annual Awards

Nominations are invited from those connected with Scottish Disability Sport for their annual awards ceremony, that will be presented at the Annual General Meeting on Saturday 19 September 2026. It is important that there is a clear indication why the individual/group is being nominated.

There are 12 award categories, as listed below:

- - SDS Glasgow Trophy for Service to Sport – This award recognises individuals who have played an active role in the development of SDS in any capacity whatsoever. Length of service as an SDS volunteer is an aspect that has been taken into consideration in determining appropriate recipients in the past.
SDS Fife Trophy for Coach of the Year – This award recognises coaches who have played a significant role in supporting SDS members to achieve their full potential.
Russell Hogg Trophy for Development Coach of the Year – This award recognises emerging coaches who have committed to supporting Scottish athletes and players with a disability.
Findlay Calder Trophy for Athlete of the Year – Awarded to the athlete who has contributed most to disability athletics in the past year.
Brian Dolan Memorial Trophy for Swimmer of the Year – This award is specifically for the swimmer who has contributed most to disability swimming in the past year.
Angus Trophy – Awarded to the Sportsperson of the Year (excluding athletics and swimming).
SDS Dedication to Boccia Award – A brand new award for 2026. This award is being introduced to recognise a player, coach, official or volunteer who has contributed significantly to the sport of boccia in the past year.
Elspeth Watson Trophy – Awarded to an individual out with SDS who has contributed significantly to disability sport.
Special Recognition Award – This award recognises individuals who have made a significant contribution in raising the profile of disability sport in Scotland.
John de Courcy Trophy – This award is specifically for a talented newcomer.
Janice Eaglesham Club of the Year Award – This award was introduced in 2020 and has been generously supported by Neil’s Wheels. It will be awarded to a sports club that has demonstrated a sustained commitment to the inclusion of participants and athletes with a disability.
SDS Community Champion Award – Recognising an individual or organisation who has gone above and beyond to support the development of disability sport in their local community.

All nominations should be returned in confidence, before Monday 17 August 2026.

To submit, please fill out this form: https://tinyurl.com/fyf8c2xn

A list of former award winners can be seen on the website here: https://www.scottishdisabilitysport.com/sds-award-winners

16/06/2026

SDS Appoints 15 to National Advisory Forum

Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) is delighted to announce the 15-strong cohort that makes up SDS’ first ever National Advisory Forum.

The National Advisory Forum at SDS consists of a dynamic group of individuals who bring real-world insight, experience and ideas to influence positive change throughout Scotland.

SDS CEO, Gavin Macleod “Having the first ever National Advisory Forum is a huge step forward for Scottish Disability Sport. As laid out in the Call to Action (link) it is so important that people with disabilities in Scotland are able to co-design, guide and inform the organisation in matters of strategy, policy and practice.”

The purpose of the National Advisory Forum is to allow those with lived experience to advocate for inclusion and equality in sport and physical activity, advise on SDS policies and programmes that matter and inspire the next generation of athletes and participants.

Forum member, Gemma Lumsdaine, said: “It is fantastic to have people with lived experience round the table influencing decision-making, policy and what the next steps are. Because you’ve experienced it and have a unique perspective it can provide real insight and unique perspectives along with supporting role modelling so that when individuals think about starting a journey in sport or physical activity, then they see people like themselves. Sports needs to show that it is a place for people with disabilities whether as coaches, volunteers, athletes and participants.”

SDS is fully committed to being an organisation that co-designs with our athletes and participants to ensure the voice of those with lived experience is heard and directs the work of the organisation.

Together, SDS and the National Advisory Forum can collaborate to create a sporting landscape where everyone belongs.

“It feels important to be part of a space where lived experiences and practical insight can directly influence decisions and policy.

“It is exciting to have the chance to collaborate with other people who share a similar passion but also to learn from their own experiences and perspectives”, said Jack Brodie, member of the Forum.

2026 cohort of the SDS National Advisory Forum –

Devin Adams
Jim Anderson
Jack Brodie
Anna Craig
Samantha Gough
Steven Holgan
Nigel Honey
Logan Kidd
Gemma Lumsdaine
John Stuart McClelland
Layla McCloskey
Finlay Mears-Young
Olivia Jane Roberston
Karen Townson
Rick Townson

Find out more about the National Advisory Forum via this link, here: SDS National Advisory Forum.

SDS’ strategic plan, which directs SDS’ work, can be found on the website at via this link: SDS Strategic Plan -.

Alongside SDS’ four-point Call to Action which urges all of SDS’ stakeholders to engage in meaningful change to remove barriers to sport and physical activity.

01/06/2026

Impacting Lives Through Sport: John McClelland’s Story

By William Moncrieff, Communications Officer

Growing up able bodied, John McClellend didn’t expect to have his life turned upside down at the age of 43 when he was diagnosed with chronic lung condition. His treatment and high dose of steroids damaged his bones, which resulted in John ending up in a wheelchair. In 2014, John turned to disability sport to help navigate this transition; adapt to his new way of life and meet new people.

Today, aged 56, John finds himself devoting his time to ensure that others have access to the same opportunities. He said, “I really enjoy the volunteering side of it, as I get a lot out of sport, so it is good to give back.”

Having volunteered in several sports across Dumfries and Galloway, John has seen people be impacted by all the benefits sport can provide and the joy that it brings.

“I’ve been working with a young lady who is nonverbal and she has an amazing time in boccia and she is jumping about in her wheelchair. She is having a lot of fun, and that is enough for me,” said John.

Along with being a key volunteer throughout the region, John has had an incredibly impressive career when competing, becoming a National Champion in Wheelchair Curling in 2024. A moment he looks back on with immense pride.

“Yeah, it was really good. I had won the silver the year before, and the year before that. I won it just after Covid-19, so it was great to be up in that area of competition,” John said.

Just like he has seen when he is out volunteering, John gained a lot of benefits through participating. One of the elements he most enjoyed though, was getting the competitive fires roaring, saying: “As an athlete I quite enjoy the competition side of it because I’ve got quite a competitive nature.”

Following his successes on the curling rink, John was elected to Chair of the Scottish Wheelchair Curling Association. He has put his energies into growing the sport.

“One of my big things, was to raise the profile and to get it out more. I got the local TV, ITV Borders, to come along and to do a few of the games,” John said.

A recent volunteering highlight for John, was when he helped coach the Team UK in Wheelchair Curling at the Invictus Games in Canada. John helped train the team over the course of a year, passing on all the tricks of the trade.

The work that John and all of the other coaches put in paid off, with the team delivering a fantastic performance, narrowly missing out on gold.

He said: “It was really good. It was the first time it had ever been in the Invictus Games as it was the first winter sport hybrid games and to do it out in Canada in Vancouver last year was great. I felt really proud of the guys, for all of the work that they had put in. All of the training camps, they really did themselves proud.”

He continued to say: “It was good to sit there and watch them [the team] grow, to see the smiles on their faces and just to see them generally come on.”

As John continues to volunteer, he finds himself being impacted in many ways. Recently, he has found volunteering to be a great source of education: “It’s been good to give me a lot of knowledge of different types of disabilities, how people function with them and how they overcome barriers.”

To ensure longevity of sport throughout the region, John has joined the board of Scottish Disability Sport’s Member Branch, Dumfries and Galloway Disability Sport. Here, he is keen to help reach as many people as possible, saying: “I enjoy it, where we are down here in Dumfries and Galloway, it can be one of these forgotten corners, so it’s just about getting the word out there that there are things out there for people to do and we do have a lot of things running here.”

Having committed countless hours to volunteering, and seeing how sport impacts people daily, he would urge more individuals to try volunteering throughout their region.

John said: “I would recommend volunteering to anybody; you will always get some sort of enjoyment from it. I’ve never met anybody who hasn’t got anything from it.”

A group photo of people in wheelchairs and some people standing behind them, on the wheelchair curling ice sheet. They are Team UK wheelchair curling team. John McClelland is on the far left.

To keep up to date with all things disability sport across Scotland, follow Scottish Disability Sport on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

25/05/2026

Parties in Power: What Shapes Priorities

By Mark Gaffney, Head of Policy at Scottish Disability Sport

While whichever party is in control undoubtedly frames legislative direction, influence in Scotland is more nuanced than simple majority rule.

The governing party (or parties) set budgets, shape national strategies (such as sport and health frameworks), and control most legislative time.
Opposition parties influence through First Minster Questions (FMQs), scrutiny, amendments, and committee work.
Smaller parties and individual MSPs can exercise disproportionate influence where parliamentary margins are tight.

For disability sport, this creates several practical realities:

Policy Windows Are Political

Investment in inclusive sport and physical activity often aligns with broader agendas—public health improvement, tackling inequality, or community regeneration. Engagement is most effective when framed within those priorities rather than positioned as a standalone “special interest.” Historically – and indeed, currently – the challenge has been to get the Scottish Government and opposition parties to see sport as a priority area. This remains the central challenge for SGBs and other associated organisations in Scotland.

Cross-Party Support Matters

Disability sport rarely divides along party lines, but it can fall between them if not actively championed. Building relationships across parties increases the likelihood that:

Issues are raised in debates regardless of who is in power
Amendments are supported during budget negotiations
Committee inquiries include disability-specific evidence

Committees Are Critical

Much of the meaningful work happens away from headline debates. Committees covering health, education, and social justice are key sites where disability sport concerns—such as access, funding equity, or data gaps—can be formally examined. This is why evidencing impact through data, research and insights is important.

Engagement Through a Disability Sport Lens

If the structures of power are complex, so too must be the approaches to engagement. Disability sport provides a particularly strong framework because it connects visibility, participation, and rights.

From Storytelling to Evidence

Personal stories matter—but on their own they are often insufficient to drive policy change. Effective engagement pairs lived experience with:

Participation data (who is excluded and why)
Cost-benefit analysis (e.g. preventative health savings)
Comparisons with non-disabled participation rates
Strength in numbers – join forces with organisations with similar aims and objectives

MSPs—especially those in committees—respond to evidence that can shape policy, not just illustrate gaps.

Local Anchoring, National Framing

A wheelchair user unable to access a local sports hall is a constituency issue. But when that story is repeated across regions, it becomes a national policy failure.

The most effective engagement strategies:

Start with constituency MSPs to resolve or highlight the issue
Escalate through regional MSPs and party spokespeople
Feed into committee evidence, cross-party groups and national campaigns

This layered approach mirrors how decisions are made.

Aligning With Existing Policy Agendas

Disability sport gains traction when linked to broader government priorities. For example:

Health: Positioning participation as reducing long-term NHS demand
Education: Highlighting inclusive PE and transitions into lifelong sport
Economy: Emphasising employment pathways within sport for disabled people

This alignment makes it harder for policymakers to treat disability sport as optional.

Barriers to Engagement Still Persist

Despite structural opportunities, there remain persistent barriers:

Accessibility of political processes: Meetings, consultations, and documents are not always accessible or inclusive (although improvements have been made recently)
Capacity of disabled people’s organisations: Many are under-resourced and cannot sustain ongoing engagement
Fragmentation: Sport, health, and disability policy often operate in silos

These barriers mean that opportunities for influence are unevenly distributed—and often exclude those most affected.

What Should Change in This Parliamentary Term

If the post‑election period is to deliver meaningful progress for disability sport, three shifts are needed:

Proactive Outreach by MSPs

Rather than relying on organisations to initiate engagement, MSPs—both constituency and regional—should actively build relationships with disability sport groups and participants, so feel free to hold them accountable for doing so.

Embedding Disability Sport in Scrutiny

Committees should consistently examine inclusion within sport, not as an occasional topic but as a recurring accountability issue.

Supporting Participation in Decision-Making

This includes:

Funding for representative organisations
Accessible consultation processes
Paid opportunities for disabled people to contribute expertise

A System That Requires Navigation—and Change

The Scottish Parliament offers multiple routes to influence, but they are not always obvious or equally accessible. For those working in disability sport, success depends on understanding how constituency advocacy, regional influence, and party dynamics interact.

The challenge after this election is not simply whether disability sport appears in policy documents—it is whether disabled people can consistently shape those policies at every level.

Because real inclusion in sport is not achieved on the field, court or sports hall alone. It is built in how decisions are made, who is heard, and whether power is genuinely shared and proportionate.

Scottish Disability Sport has launched a four-point Call to Action that calls on organisations across Scotland to take urgent action to remove the significant barriers faced by people with a disability in accessing sport and physical activity.

The four-point Call to Action follows the publication of a new national survey by SDS, which highlights the ongoing inequalities experienced by people with a disability and the impact this has on their quality of life.

Key actions called for include:

Plan to Include
Deliver an inclusive whole system approach
A benefits and social care system that equips individuals to be active
Champion intersectionality through a person-centred approach

More information about the Call to Action, can be found via this link: https://scottishdisabilitysport.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/BC-and-AGM-CTA-Presentation_PDF-for-Website.pdf

View the key findings of the National Survey can be found via this link: https://scottishdisabilitysport.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SDS-National-Survey-Findings-CEO-Circulation.pdf.

25/05/2026

Mapping Power and Access Following Scottish Election

Mapping Power and Access: Disability Sport, MSPs and the Routes to Engagement After the Scottish Election

By Mark Gaffney, Head of Policy at Scottish Disability Sport

The post‑election landscape in Scotland is not just defined by which party holds power, but by how that power is distributed between constituency MSPs, regional MSPs, and parliamentary committees. For disabled people—particularly those engaged in or excluded from sport—understanding this architecture can be crucial. Influence does not sit in one place, and neither do opportunities for change.

This is especially true for disability sport, which cuts across portfolios: health, education, transport, local government, and social justice. Any serious effort to improve access and participation depends on how effectively these levers are used—and how well disabled people can engage with those holding them.

Constituency vs Regional MSPs: Different Roles, Different Levers

Scotland’s Additional Member System creates two types of MSPs with distinct but complementary roles:

Constituency MSPs are directly elected and often act as primary casework advocates (i.e. support offered if someone in their constituency needs support). They are typically the most visible and locally embedded representatives.
Regional MSPs are elected from party lists to ensure proportionality, often covering broader areas and multiple constituencies.

For disability sport, this distinction matters.

Constituency MSPs tend to be the most effective route for:

Raising local issues such as inaccessible leisure facilities, transport barriers to clubs, or funding decisions by councils
Supporting grassroots organisations clubs and campaigning alongside local organisations
Convening local stakeholders (health boards, councils, schools)

Regional MSPs, meanwhile, are often better placed to:

Bring recurring issues across multiple areas into parliamentary debate
Champion systemic change (e.g. national funding models, Active Scotland priorities)
Sit on committees shaping legislation and scrutinising government policy

Too often, engagement efforts focus only on constituency MSPs. A more strategic approach—particularly for disability sport organisations— will use both and remains the challenge for SDS and its member branches: localised evidence paired with regional amplification.

Key actions called for include:

Plan to Include
Deliver an inclusive whole system approach
A benefits and social care system that equips individuals to be active
Champion intersectionality through a person-centred approach

More information about the Call to Action, can be found via this link: https://scottishdisabilitysport.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/BC-and-AGM-CTA-Presentation_PDF-for-Website.pdf

View the key findings of the National Survey can be found via this link: https://scottishdisabilitysport.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SDS-National-Survey-Findings-CEO-Circulation.pdf.

25/05/2026

Overview of the Scottish Election Results

Total MSPs: 129 (65 needed for majority). Result (seats):

SNP (Scottish National Party): 58
Labour: 17
Reform UK: 17
Scottish Greens: 15
Conservatives: 12
Liberal Democrats: 10

Key takeaways

SNP remains largest party but short of a majority.
Opposition is fragmented, with Labour and Reform tied second.
Conservatives saw a major decline, while Greens and Lib Dems made gains

Policy context: disability & social care

Adult Disability Payment (ADP): Scotland’s replacement for PIP, providing support for daily living and mobility needs regardless of income.
Designed to be less assessment‑heavy and more person‑centred than UK benefits.
Self‑Directed Support (SDS): enables people to control social care budgets (often linked to participation, including sport and community activities—highlighted in policy discussions with MSPs).
One of Scottish Disability Sport’s key asks within the Call to Action is for a consistency of approach in removing policy barriers to physical activity and sport using the devolved powers of Adult/ Child Disability Payments and Self-Directed Support

Notable impacts in elected members

Shortly after John Swinney was confirmed as the First Minister following the procedural voting he announced a slimmed down Cabinet. Some familiar faces returned and others were shuffled about a bit. Neil Gray moves from health to justice with Angela Constance taking on the health and care Cabinet post. Given Angela Constance’s background as a social worker and mental health officer there is an obvious route to engagement and a potential sympathetic ear to the plight of people with disabilities and the barriers to sport and physical activity they face through their benefits having overseen the development of Scotland’s devolved social security system.

Shirley-Anne Somerville retains her role with social justice and housing but Jenny Gilruth moves on from education to become the Deputy FM with a finance and local government oversight. Mairi McAllan continues her impressive rise by securing the education portfolio. With no obvious background in the sector it is set to be a baptism of fire for her given the rhetoric surrounding the SNP’s performance on improving education in their twenty-years in power. The pragmatic Ivan McKee is elevated to a Cabinet post with a view to potentially beginning to broach the oft-mentioned £5 billion shortfall annual spending gap.

Sport retains an explicit reference in a junior ministerial position, as it was within the last Scottish Government and, as widely expected, the previous incumbent Maree Todd has been awarded this area again with a slightly wider portfolio of Minister for mental wellbeing, public health, sport, alcohol & drugs policy. Although missing out in her constituency, Maree was elected via the Regional list.

Another junior minister that will certainly hold a relevance to the areas of work are Simita Kumar who follows Kaukab Stewart as the Minister for Equalities. Kaukab was an ally for disability sport and SDS engaged strongly with her team through the implementation of the first phase of the Disability Equality Plan which resulted in a successful bid to the Improving Access Fund to support young people in accessing coaching and leadership opportunities in sport.

As we know, disability cuts across a number of portfolio areas so engagement with those mentioned above from a Scottish Government perspective will be key to securing positive outcomes related to the SDS Call to Action.

A number of MSPs who were very pro-sport have left (either not standing again or not re-elected). The CEO of Bowls Scotland (and former Strategic Partnerships Manager for sportscotland) Malcom Dingwall-Smith astutely points out that five former MSPs who held responsibility for sport either at Cabinet or Junior level have departed – along with a number of others who championed sport (and often disability sport) in the chamber and on strategic committees.

Previously, two of the biggest supporters of disability rights were Jeremy Balfour – who moved from a Conservative to an Independent MSP towards the end of the last term – and Pam Duncan-Glancy – who was a Labour MSP for the majority of the last parliament before becoming an Independent in the final few months. Together, they often fought for disability rights and convened the Cross-Party Group on Disability. Both are disabled – Pam was the first permanent wheelchair user in the Scottish Parliament and a frontbencher – and were strong advocates of inclusion and accessibility for people with disabilities. Both Jeremy and Pam will not be represented in the Scottish Parliament in 2026.

The Scottish Green Party have made gains in representation and as the party with the most explicit referencing to disability within their manifesto, there are likely to be routes to engagement there.

Useful Links: Election 2026 | Scottish Parliament Website