Building pathways for inclusive sports and research

– UG collaboration with Icelandic expert Dr Ingi Þór Einarsson aims to improve, build UG research, sports science capacity

Dr Ingi Þór Einarsson, from the University of Reykjavík, Iceland, on Wednesday, November 12, delivered a special lecture on “Physical Activity and Sport among Individuals with Disabilities” at the University of Guyana’s Early Childhood Centre for Excellence.
In his presentation, he discussed the reality of high-performance sport, particularly the toughness of elite sport, and aimed to dispel the idea that achieving success in the Paralympics is easy. Dr Einarsson noted that success in elite Paralympic sport requires dedicated coaches and support teams working together, just as in the Olympics. He clarified that elite sport is “tough” and “hard”, distinguishing it from recreational activities or rehabilitation.
He also asserted that more opportunities for physical activity must be provided to people with disabilities and that these opportunities should be impairment-specific. For example, in Iceland, Dr Ingi and his team offer weekend and after-school activities for the visually impaired, persons with cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, or those on the autism spectrum. These strategies are used to encourage more families to participate and to introduce children to new activities.
Dr Ingi Einarsson also expressed his hope for further collaboration with the University of Guyana. He specifically mentioned plans to host students from the University of Guyana in Iceland to assist with research and other capacity-building opportunities. He believes this collaboration will be mutually beneficial and expressed encouragement at the academic brainpower he encountered at UG.
He is a professional expert whose career transitioned from coaching to academia. Dr Ingi was a swimmer himself, and his first swimming coach was the founder of Paralympic swimming in Iceland. Early in his career, he became a full-time professional coach and was always willing to include athletes with disabilities in his group, including those with cerebral palsy, amputations, and intellectual disabilities.

Dr Ingi’s research focuses primarily on two areas within disability sports and health: the development of a classification system for elite athletes with intellectual disabilities and investigating the physical activity and lifestyle of young people with disabilities.
His early master’s work led to the core classification system now used for athletes with intellectual disabilities at the Paralympics. His thesis proved that the technical skills of those with intellectual disabilities need to be developed using systematic training that considers central nervous system impairments. His later PhD research, which addressed public health issues, demonstrated that children with disabilities are significantly less physically active, more obese, and have worse fitness than their counterparts in Iceland, often relying solely on school and sports clubs for activity.
His work advocates for institutional changes, increased training for coaches and teachers, and improved education for parents to increase physical activity opportunities for children with disabilities. He attempts to combine coaching and academic research in his work. He prefers to function as the “puppet master behind the scenes”, using his research knowledge to advise coaches.
The University of Guyana’s collaboration with Dr Ingi is designed to bolster UG’s research output and build local capacity in sports science methodologies for students with disabilities. It aligns with the broader goal of ensuring that all communities, including students with disabilities, receive enhanced, evidence-based support. It further underscores the work of the University of Guyana’s Early Childhood Centre for Excellence, which aims to establish and sustain a nationally and internationally recognised model for bridging research-to-policy gaps in early childhood development.