How to organize an inclusive race
It must be known that anyone has the right to participate in popular races and even more so if they are organized or sponsored by a public entity. Sport has the condition of being a corrective factor for social imbalances.
The Preamble of Law 10/1990, of October 15, states that Sport, “constitutes a fundamental element of the educational system and its practice is important in maintaining health and, therefore, is a corrective factor for social imbalances that contributes to the development of equality among citizens, creates habits that favor social insertion and, likewise, its practice in a team fosters solidarity. All this shapes sport as a determining element of quality of life and active and participatory use of leisure time in contemporary society.”
In this way, the participation of people with reduced mobility in these sporting events is justified, and this writing by the Andalusian Ombudsman supports such participation, specifically for children with disabilities.
People with reduced mobility have the same right as others to suffer an accident during a race, however, in the two years we have been participating, this has not been the case.
In some races the organization does not take care of the insurance for children when participating in adult races. In these cases we have managed it with an insurance company that in the case of the Seville marathon charged us 50 euros to insure 15 children.
To equalize competition conditions there is a Male and Female category, and for this same reason we think there should also be the following categories:
• Functional Diversity (Self-propelled wheelchair) • Assisted Functional Diversity (Wheelchair propelled by another person) Functional Diversity (Handbike) • Functional Diversity (Sensory) • Functional Diversity (Psychic) • Functional Diversity (Physical)
To minimize the risk of accidents and facilitate the normal development of races, and as is usual with other runners, it is recommended to start from the corresponding box according to the pace you intend to maintain during the race, thus avoiding unnecessary overtaking.
We usually notify the race organization of our participation.
An example of an inclusive race is what IMD Sevilla has done for the 10 km circuit races where it has issued specific regulations to include minors with functional diversity.
• Link to regulations: https://imd.sevilla.org/programas-deportivos/carreras-populares-sevilla10/enlaces-de-interes-sevilla10/normativa-especifica-para-participantes-menores-de-edad-con-diversidad-funcional-asistida • Link to publication of said regulations in the media: https://imd.sevilla.org/noticias/el-circuito-sevilla10-primero-en-homologar-la-participacion-de-menores-con-diversidad-funcional-asistida?platform=hootsuite
