Abstract
https://doi.org/10.58984/smbic250101025v
This paper deals with the communication and media aspects of the promotion of Paralympic sports in the context of the development of the new „Sports Development Strategy in the Republic of Serbia for the period from 2025 to 2035”. Paralympics, as an important segment of the life of people with disabilities, is still not sufficiently present in the media in Serbia, and is not well supported systemically. This leads to limited visibility and indicates the need to develop a comprehensive communication strategy. The goal of the research is to analyze the current position of Paralympics in the strategic documents of the Government of the Republic of Serbia published so far, in the media and society, and to propose communication guidelines within the framework of the development of a new strategy that could contribute to greater affirmation, media visibility and inclusion of athletes with disabilities. Through a qualitative analysis of existing documents, available media sources and information on Paralympism, the research will indicate the current institutional public policies and media practices and propose models of media strategy that can be incorporated into the national legislative framework. The theoretical directions within which the media coverage of the sports successes of the Paralympians in Serbia moves will also be presented. The research results will contribute to the understanding of the importance of communication in changing the social perception of Paralympians, as well as to the development of a strategy that will be valid in the next ten-year period. Based on the findings, the paper will offer concrete recommendations for institutions, media and organizations, with the aim of improving the media presentation and social integration of the Paralympics in Serbia.
References
- Alliance for Accessibility of Serbia – SAPS (2025). Important regulations related to accessibility. Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://saps.rs/lat/propisi
- Another great joy for Serbia in para-athletics (September 28, 2025). Paraolimpijci. Accessed 28.09.2025. URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPJHFORjTrp/?igsh=MTZkbnUweGh1OWFzNw==
- Bacchi, C. (2012). „Introducing the ‘What’s the Problem Represented to Be?’ Approach”. In: Bletsas, A., Beasle, C. (Eds.), Engaging with Carol Bacchi: Strategic Interventions and Exchanges, pp. 21–24. University of Adelaide Press. Accessed 30.09.2025. URL: https://doi.org/10.1017/upo9780987171856.003
- Becker, H. S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the Sociologu of Deviance. New York: The Free Press.
- Cohen, S. (2011). Folk Devils and Moral Panics: The Creation of the Mods and Rockers. London and New York Routledge.
- Đurđević, N. (2015). Manual for developing sports development programs in the local self-government unit. Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Serbia. Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.mos.gov.rs/storage/2021/02/za-izraduprograma-razvoja-sporta-u-jedinici-lokalne-samouprave.pdf
- Đurđević, N., Mitić, D., Atanasov, D. and Vujović, B. (2014). Handbook for financing sports programs and development. Permanent Conference of Cities and Municipalities of Serbia. Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.mos.gov.rs/storage/2021/02/za-finansiranje-programa-i-razvoj-sporta-u-jedinicama-lokalnesamouprave.pdf
- Fraser, N. (2010). Scales of Justice: Reimagining Political Space in a Globalizing World. New York, Columbia University Press.
- Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. New York: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
- Gold medal and a new European record in the Czech Republic (September 21, 2025). Paralympic Committee of Serbia. Accessed 21.09.2025. URL: https://paralympic.rs/takmicenja/zlato-i-novi-evropski-rekord-u-ceskoj
- Guide to the rights of persons with disabilities in RS (2021). Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs. Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.minrzs.gov.rs/sites/default/files/2021-02/Vodic%20kroz%20prava%20osoba%20sa%20invaliditetom.pdf
- Halll, S. (2017). Media and power. Loznica, Karpos.
- It is also known in which place the Serbian basketball players finished Eurobasket (September 14, 2025). Danas, the digital media. Accessed 14.09.2025. URL: https://www.danas.rs/sport/evrobasket-plasman-kosarkasi-srbije/
- Letter for local self-government units regarding the Sports Development Program. (November 24, 2015). Ministry of Youth and Sports. Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.mos.gov.rs/storage/2021/02/za-jls-u-vezi-sa-programom-razvojasporta.pdf
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (2009). Action plan for the implementation of the sports development strategy in the Republic of Serbia for the period from 2009 to 2013, no. 80/09.
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (2008). Strategy for the development of sports in the Republic of Serbia for the period 2009 to 2013, no. 110/08.
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (2015). Strategy for the development of sports in the Republic of Serbia for the period from 2014 to 2018 and the Action Plan for its implementation, no. 1/15.
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (2025). Strategy for improving the position of persons with disabilities in the Republic of Serbia for the period from 2025 to 2030, no. 6/25.
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (2006). Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, no. 98/06, 115/21 (Amendments I-XXIX) and 16/22.
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (2014). Law on Public Media Services, no. 83/14, 103/15, 108/16, 161/20, 129/21, 142/22, 92/23 and 51/25.
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (2022). Law on Ministries, no. 128/20, 116/22, 92/23 – and the other law.
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (2004). Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance, no. 120/04, 54/07, 104/09, 36/10 and 105/21.
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (2016). Law on Sports, no. 10/16.
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (2006). Law on Prevention of Discrimination of Persons with Disabilities, no. 33/06 and 13/16.
- Paraolimpijci, Instagram page of the Paralympic Committee of Serbia. Accessed 28.09.2025. URL: https://www.instagram.com/paraolimpijci
- Paralympic Committee of Serbia. Accessed 28.09.2025. URL: https://paralympic.rs
- Penezic, S. (2020). „Sport in the trap of globalization: Media spectacle, ideological instrument and universal means of communication”. In: Marinkovic, S., Science and teaching in the educational context. Proceedings from the international scientific meeting within the scientific research project „Teaching and learning: problem, goals, perspective” (No. 179026), Faculty of Education in Užice, University of Kragujevac, pp. 381–390. Accessed 30.09.2025. URL: https://pfunaucniskup.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/3-slobodanpenezic-u.pdf
- Planning and implementation of sports development programs in local self-government units (October 2015). Power point presentation (first session). Ministry of Youth and Sports, Permanent Conference of Cities and Municipalities. Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.mos.gov.rs/dokumenta/omladina/strategije/?lang=lat
- Recommendation No. R (86) 18. European Charter on Sport for ALL: Disabled Persons. Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://rm.coe.int/09000016804cb92d
- Recommendation No. R (92) 13 REV. European Sports Charter. (1992; 2001). Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://rm.coe.int/16804c9dbb
- Rees, L., Robinson, P. and Shields, N. (2019). „Media portrayal of elite athletes with disability – a systematic review”. In: Disability and Rehabilitation, 41(4), pp. 374–381. Accessed 22.09.2025. URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2017.1397775
- Report on the held national conference „Local communities in the field of sports – Sports development strategy, Law on sports, financing, violence in sports” (September 2015). Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.mos.gov.rs/storage/2021/02/sa-konferencije-lokalne-zajednice-u-oblasti-sporta.pdf
- RTS (6.9.2025. – 28.9.2025.). „Dnevnik 2”, the main news program of Radio-television of Serbia, section „sport”.
- Sandel, M. (2010). Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
- Schulze, M. (2010). A Handbook on the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Understanding the UN Convention on The Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Handicap International. Accessed 21.09.2025. URL: https://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/sites/default/files/documents/hi_crpd_manual2010.pdf
- Sen, A. (1992). Inequality Reexamined. Cambridge, Harvard University Press.
- Silva, C.F., Howe, P.D. (2012). „The (In)validity of supercrip representation of Paralympian athletes”. In: Journal of Sport & Social Issues, 36(2), pp. 174–194. Accessed 21.09.2025. URL: https://doi.org/10.1177/0193723511433865
- Sports Development Program (November 2015). Power point presentation (second session). Ministry of Youth and Sports, Permanent Conference of Cities and Municipalities. Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.mos.gov.rs/dokumenta/ omladina/strategije/?lang=lat
- Support to local self-government units in the creation and implementation of the strategy – education system. Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.mos.gov.rs/storage/2021/02/jedinicama-lokalnix-samouprava-u-kreiranjui-implementaciji-strategije-sistem-edukacije.pdf
- The first medal for Serbia at the World Para-Athletics Championship in New Delhi (September 28, 2025). Paraolimpijci. Accessed 28.09.2025. https://www.instagram.com/p/DPJHAMODcDc/
- The Serbian wheelchair basketball team placed fourth at the C Division European Championship (September 14, 2025). Telegraph, the digital media. Accessed 14.09.2025. https://www.telegraf.rs/sport/kosarka/4180552-reprezentacijasrbije-kosarke-u-kolicima-cetvrta-na-evropskom-prvenstvu-c-divizije
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol (2008). Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf
- Vitković, B. (2023). „Youth’s Participation in the Media and an Analysis of the Flow of Information About Them From One Media Platform to Another”. In: CM, Communication and Media, Faculty of Political Sciences and Communication Direction Institute, Belgrade and Novi Sad, Vol. XVIII, No. 2, pp. 305–336. Accessed 30.09.2025. URL: https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2466-541X/2023/2466-541X2354305V.pdf
- Watson, J. C. (2019). „Uninspired: Framing Wheelchair Basketball and Able-Bodi-ed Basketball in College News Sources”. In: Communication & Sport, 8(4–5), pp. 526–544. Accessed 29.09.2025. URL: https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479519894669
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines – WCAG 2.2 (12 December 2024). W3C Recommendation. Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/
- Work Informants of the Ministry of Sports (30.09.2022. – 11.09.2025). Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.mos.gov.rs/informator-o-radu
- Work Informant of the Ministry of Sports (11.09.2025). Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.mos.gov.rs/storage/2024/09/informator-o-radu-ms-avgustlat.PDF
- Work Informant of the Ministry of Sports (31.08.2024). Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://mos.gov.rs/storage/2024/09/informator-o-radu-avgust-2024-cirilica.pdf
- Work Informant of the Ministry of Sports (31.07.2023). Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.mos.gov.rs/storage/2023/08/informator-o-radu-ms-jul-2023-latinica.pdf
- Work Informant of the Ministry of Sports (31.03.2023). Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://www.mos.gov.rs/storage/2023/05/o-radu-cirilica.pdf
- Work Informant of the Ministry of Sports (08.02.2023). Accessed 12.09.2025. URL: https://informator.poverenik.rs/informator?org=sfTMyfMJCoGybr4vS
- Zubić, I. (2023). Sports Psihology. Faculty of Sports of „Union – Nikola Tesla“ University, Belgrade.

