The Image of Paralympic Athletes: Comparing the Desired and Perceived Image of Paralympic Athletes

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) projects the message that Paralympic athletes are athletes first and individuals with an impairment second. However, it appears that the population’s primary focus is still on their impairments. The aim of this paper is to identify possible differences between the image that the IPC strives to project (i.e. desired image) and the image that the general population has of Paralympic athletes (i.e. perceived image) and the factors that influence the images. The study sample was divided into two groups: the internal stakeholders representing the desired image (n = 98) and the external stakeholders representing the perceived image (n = 347). Results indicate significantly weaker associations between the desired image and the attributes handicapped and disabled compared to the perceived image. Results also suggest that having previously watched an edition of the Paralympics and knowing someone with an impairment has a positive effect on behavioral intentions.