ARHITEKTONSKE BARIJERE ZA OSOBE S INVALIDITETOM U SPORTSKIM OBJEKTIMA GRADA RIJEKE

When speaking about people with disabilities, they are most commonly defined as people with permanent restriction in performing some physical or even psychological function. Their disability results from an impairment of: sight, hearing, speaking communication, musculoskeletal system, central nervous system or peripheral nervous system, intellectual impairment and autism. Depending on the impairment and its level, a person will be using certain orthopedic aid, such as: wheelchair, crutches, stick, orthosis, prosthesis etc. Buildings and facilities should be adapted accordingly. The aim of this research was to find out to what extent are sports facilities in the city of Rijeka adapted for people with disabilities. Architectural components that are recorded in 15 sports facilities are based on „Ordinance on ensuring access to the disabled and to persons with reduced mobility“ from 2006. The architectural components are: access from road with facility entrance, communications (elevator, ramp, lifting platform), access to auditorium and terrain, and toilet. Results show that 66,67% of Rijeka's sports facilities have got a completely adapted access from road and entrance. It has been established that 42,86% have got completely adapted communications and the same percentage of sports facilities don't have adapted communications at all. Only 28,57% of sports facilities completely enable access to the auditorium and terrain for people with disabilities. As much as 50% of sports facilities don't have a toilet adjusted for people with disabilities, while 42,86% have a toilet adjusted in accordance with regulations. These numbers show the need for improvement and modernization of Rijeka's sports facilities and the need for raising social awareness about higher quality inclusion of people with disabilities in everyday sports activities.