REALITIES OF IMPLEMENTING INCLUSIVITY IN UNIVERSITY SPORTS

Abstract

Sport today is powerfully incorporated into the development strategies of higher education institutions and, consequently, into students’ daily lives, complementing the professional training of highly qualified specialists. Sport, including university sports, has the potential to unite people with diverse characteristics, fostering universal values, ensuring social interaction, and cultivating a sense of unity. However, the sports environment is not immune to the prejudices and stereotypes that pervade society as a whole. Objective: analysis of the current implementation of inclusivity in university sports. Methods. Analysis, synthesis, generalization, methods of deduction, and systemic and logical analysis. Results. Inclusivity and diversity are principles that should underpin the world of sports, particularly university sports, to meet the needs of the entire student community. This socially significant issue is not overlooked by the governing bodies of the student movement worldwide: it will be a subtopic for discussion at the World Forum of the International University Sports Federation (FISU); it is one of the strategic foundations of the work of the Oceania University Sports Federation; and it has become a subject of research and the expansion of equal opportunities in sports through informal education by the European University Sports Association. Universities around the world are paying attention to the needs of marginalized student groups, focusing on creating a supportive sports environment for all student-athletes and ensuring inclusive participation in sports programs and events, regardless of their status or physical abilities. At the upcoming FISU Games in Turin in 2025, which will be held under the flag of inclusivity and social sustainability, para-sport competitions will be held for the first time, specifically 3×3 wheelchair basketball. The 2025 Winter World University Games are also notable, as they will allow athletes with disabilities to compete alongside able-bodied athletes. Conclusions. Inclusivity in university sports should be a crucial principle of higher education institutions to create equal sports opportunities for all students. By implementing inclusive initiatives, universities promote not only the physical development of students but also their social integration, improvement of quality of life, and the creation of a more harmonious and equitable society.