Facilitadores e barreiras para a prática esportiva por parte de atletas com comprometimentos no Brasil

The objective of the study was to explore the facilitators and barriers to the practice of sports by Brazilian elite athletes withimpairments (AWI), actively involved in competitions at national and / or international level. The research was qualitative and exploratory.We collected the data through semi-structured interviews with nine AWI involved with six Paralympic sports. The main facilitators that theycited were: family support; example of other AWI through the media; socialization; financial gains; incentives from rehabilitation centers andhealth professionals; possibility of visiting new places; taste for sport and competition; improved perception of their capabilities; developmentof autonomy; access to places that offer free Paralympic sports (PS) for people with impairments. An important factor for the permanence ofAWI in PS is that it generates meaning for their lives. The most cited barriers were: physical wear and injuries; lack of appreciation andrecognition of athletes as sports professionals; lack of sponsorship; accessibility difficulties; lack of media coverage. This study offers subsidiesfor the development of public policies for PS and for the work of professionals in this field.