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- Sports Related Laws and Resources
Sports Related Laws and Resources
Community Sports
Designing and implementing sports and physical activity programs with people with disabilities in mind will create a welcoming environment for all citizens. The following overview is meant to highlight federal law requirements and technical assistance resources:
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires state and local government agencies to make public transportation and other public services including sports and recreation services accessible to individuals with disabilities. Parks and recreation departments and schools are covered under Title II of the ADA.
See ADA Title II Highlights document at http://www.ada.gov/t2hlt95.htm
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires places of public accommodation to provide goods and services to people with disabilities on an equal basis with the rest of the general public. Non-profit organizations providing sports programs are covered under Title III of the ADA.
See ADA Title III Highlights document at: http://www.ada.gov/t3hilght.htm
Department of Justice offers technical assistance on the ADA Standards for Accessible Design and other ADA provisions applying to businesses, non-profit service agencies, and state and local government programs and also provides information on how to file ADA complaints.
ADA Information Line:
800-514-0301 (voice)
800-514-0383 (TTY)
www.ada.gov
School Sports
Federal laws require that students with disabilities are provided with equal opportunities for participation in physical education and athletic programs and receive the full benefits of such programs in school. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Rehabilitation Act require that students in special education and students with disabilities not in special education receive equal opportunities to participate in sports and physical education programs.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act – The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (formerly called P.L. 94-142 or the Education for all Handicapped Children Act of 1975) requires public schools to make available to all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their individual needs. IDEA requires public school systems to develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s) for each child. The specific special education and related services outlined in each IEP reflect the individualized needs of each student.
Regulations: IDEA regulations regarding physical education and extracurricular activities for students with disabilities.
Rehabilitation Act – The Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by Federal agencies, in programs receiving Federal financial assistance, in Federal employment, and in the employment practices of Federal contractors. Section 504: Section 504 states that “no qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under” any program or activity that either receives Federal financial assistance.
Maryland Fitness and Athletic Equity Act for Students with Disabilities This bill enacted in 2008 requires the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and local boards of education to ensure that students with disabilities have equal opportunities to participate in mainstream physical education and athletic programs in public schools. Click here to read the provisions required by the Maryland Act.
The State Board must adopt a model policy. Local boards must develop policies and procedures to promote and protect the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream physical education and athletic programs. MSDE must monitor local board compliance and provide technical assistance.
BlazeSports America works with the Maryland State Department of Education, Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association (MPSSAA) and Special Olympics Maryland to provide technical assistance to local school districts on implementation of fitness and athletic programs
Facilities Access
Sports and recreation facilities in communities and schools must be accessible to people with disabilities and include both architectural and programmatic access. Policies also must be reviewed to eliminate discriminatory practices resulting in barriers to access and participation. A useful tool in identifying and eliminating architectural barriers is the Accessibility check list. This checklist will help you identify accessibility problems and solutions in existing facilities in order to meet your obligations under the ADA.
Accessibility Check List: ADA Title III Readily Achievable Barrier Removal Checklist or online at: http://www.ada.gov/racheck.pdf
In 2004 the Access Board issued accessibility guidelines for recreation facilities which include boating facilities, fishing piers and platforms, golf courses, sporting facilities, swimming pools and spas among others. The Department of Justice is expected to finalize its review of the proposed guidelines in the near future.
Recreation Facility Guidelines: The Access Board’s proposed accessibility guidelines for recreation facilities can be found at: http://www.access-board.gov/recreation/
Amateur Sports
The Ted Stevens Amateur Sports Act establishes the United States Olympic Committee, provides for national governing bodies for each Olympic sport and provides important legal protection for individual athletes. In 1998 the Act was amended to expand the role of the U.S. Olympic Committee to represent the United States as its national Paralympic committee. Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act