Blind football and sporting capital: Managing participation among youth blind football players in Zimbabwe

Research question: The relationship between sporting capital and participation experiences in low-income countries, such as Zimbabwe, especially amongst people with visual impairments, is hitherto unknown. This paper examines the participation experiences of Zimbabwean youth blind football players and asks how does the accumulation of sporting capital help in managing and sustaining participation in blind football? Research methods: The paper employs a mixed method approach and draws upon data from semi-structured interviews, participant observation, personal photographs, and questionnaires to analyse the sporting capital development of 14 youth blind football players from nine of Zimbabwe’s ten provinces. Results and Findings: The players’ sporting capital domains were established early through a diversified range of formal participation in various sports, including goalball, athletics, and volleyball during primary school. Increased sporting capital highlighted transferability to different teams and environments to help manage and sustain participation in blind football. Sporting capital is increased by a varied sport offer, empathetic and skilled teachers and coaches, and opportunities to develop independence and a strong peer network, for example, through having access to specialist equipment. Taken together, this bank of capital empowered players to surmount a range of barriers, helping them to manage sustained participation. Implications: Findings will help stakeholders, including national blind sport federations, National Governing Bodies, National Paralympic Committees, educational institutions and blind football teams, among others, to develop management structures and educational programmes to help increase youth blind football players’ sporting capital and identify and manage negative incidents that can affect lifelong participation in blind football.