Unequal Distribution? Gaps in the funding of adapted sport in Chile: the case of a public fund
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55040/07h8be48Keywords:
adapted sport, inclusion, public resources, funds, public policiesAbstract
Despite regulatory progress in the field of inclusion, Adapted Sport remains one of the most underfunded areas within state financing. This study aims to analyze the distribution of public resources allocated to Adapted Sport in the Biobío Region of Chile, through the analysis of a regional competitive sports fund during the period 2015–2023. A quantitative, descriptive, and documentary approach was applied, with a non-experimental, longitudinal, and retrospective design. A total of 3559 projects financed by the Regional Government of Biobío through the FNDR-Sports program were analyzed. The results indicate that 98% of the initiatives were implemented by private entities and that, until 2019, the budget allocated to Adapted Sport was below 1% of the total annual funding, increasing to 5.5% in 2020. The competitive area concentrated 66.1% of the total resources, while the formative and recreational areas accounted for 13.6% and 18.2%, respectively. The disciplines of Wheelchair Basketball and Boccia represented 62% of the initiatives and 62.9% of the total funding. Likewise, team sports led the overall allocation, and Physical Disability was the most frequently addressed category (41 initiatives). These findings reveal an unequal distribution of funding, primarily oriented toward high-performance sport, highlighting the need to redefine allocation criteria toward a more inclusive, diversified, and coherent approach aligned with the principles of the National Policy on Physical Activity and Sport.
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