By Maria Lyle
Glasgow 2026’s legacy must be a more physically active disabled community across Scotland
In less than a year from now, Glasgow will be abuzz once again with the colour, clatter and carnival atmosphere of the Commonwealth Games.
It is just over a decade since the city won plaudits for its hosting of the 2014 edition, with the Games’ federation’s chief executive Mike Hooper declaring them “the standout Games in the history of the movement”.
A slimmed down programme this time around shouldn’t diminish what promises to be another outstanding spectacle of sport, volunteering, and community spirit.
So far, so positive. But without wishing to detract from these clear signs of progress, the truth is that people with disabilities still face significant impediments to sporting participation.
A new national survey conducted by Scottish Disability Sport and Queen Margaret University Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research sheds light on the complex barriers faced by people with a disability when it comes to engaging in sport and physical activity.
Three-in-four disabled people (73 per cent) expressed a desire to do more but more than two-in-five are worried that their benefits will be removed if they are seen to be more active. Given some of the attitudes and opinions aired during the ongoing public discourse on welfare reforms, those fears are entirely understandable but a source of deep frustration.
The research also found that over 70 per cent of people with disabilities believe that public transport is not an acceptable option for them, therefore alternatives like the Motability Scheme are lifesavers for those with disabilities to be involved in sport and physical activity.
Sport has had such a positive impact on my life, physically, mentally, socially and emotionally. Training and competing at an elite level is a privilege but it’s no easy ride and I’ve learned as much from the lows as I have from the highs. I wouldn’t change my experience for the world, but I have no doubt sport would have played an important role in my life even if I had never been particularly competitive.
As such, I find it upsetting that so many people like me are being deprived – or are depriving themselves, for fear of losing essential benefits – of opportunities to experience the benefits of physical activity and sporting participation.
These findings highlight urgent priorities Scottish society must address, including cost-of-living factors, the benefits system, social security barriers, public transport, urban and rural challenges and intersectionality. Policymakers must commit to safeguarding benefits for those who are physically active, rather than penalising them.
We need to amplify the voices of disabled people to promote evidence-based decision-making across sport, health, education and social policy. And that’s why Scottish Disability Sport recently published a four point Call to Action for organisations across Scotland.
The power of sport works wonders for individuals, communities, cities, countries and continents. I can’t wait to see the impact of the most Para-friendly Commonwealth Games ever, but unless its legacy is a more physically active disabled community across Scotland, it can’t truly be considered a standout success.
Maria Lyle is a Paralympic (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020), World, Commonwealth and European medallist in the 100m and 200m T35 events. She is a disability and mental health advocate, currently working as an Active Schools Coordinator in East Lothian
More information about Scottish Disability Sport’s four-point Call to Action, can be found here.
View the key findings of the National Survey here.
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