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This research aimed to gain an understanding of the experience and perceptions of people with disabilities, with regards to the Covid-19 lockdown in Canada and Scotland. We aimed to understand how the associated closures of parks and open spaces have impacted their ability to be physically active. In addition, we aimed to understand the perceptions of those in management or policy positions who are trying to aid accessibility and participation in disability sport. The research examines both the reduction in access to facilities, venues, and services, such as personal care and looks at how engagement from sport disability groups, charities, and family members have acted as a lifeline for social contact, physical engagement and for those who are athletes' online access to peers. To do so, we draw upon the theoretical understandings of the biopsychosocial model of disability focusing on how structural and economic barriers have led to further isolation for PwD who were already marginalized from society. Thus, we address this by examining how PwD have been affected by the social, cultural, and economic conditions to access physical activity brought about by Covid-19 and the policy responses aimed at safeguarding the population.

The literature draws on contemporary debates emerging from academic and gray literature centering around the biopsychosocial model of disability and the United Nations (UN) Convention of Human Rights that every individual has a right to access leisure and recreation (UN, 2006). Furthermore, we draw from literature on loneliness, social exclusion and mental health. Previous work has highlighted that often an individuals' disability is only one form of oppression that they are experiencing, and they are only prevented from doing so because of other social, cultural or political constraints (Misener et al., 2019).

Six focus groups were held using Zoom with participants signing up via an event created on the Project Echo forum website. These were advertised through Project Echo's social media platforms and through communication with Disability sports and advocacy organizations in Canada and Scotland. Additionally, invitations were sent directly to those people already registered on the Project Echo forum.

A total of 24 participants took part in the focus groups; seven of which were members of staff within disability sports organizations, six were performance pathway/ elite para athletes, five were competitive athletes at a non-performance pathway level and six were recreational or casual participants in sport or physical activity (see Table 1). Inclusion criteria for participants outlined that all those taking part in the focus groups were either a PwD or were employed in a management or policy role that works on the provision of sport and physical activity for PwDs. The focus group with staff were regional managers and the Senior Program Manager employed by a non-departmental public body Disability sport organization; SDS. They are directly responsible for implementing government policy and in influencing government policy through their advocacy role. The inclusion of this group was therefore deemed important to understand the evidence base they were using for policy decisions around coivd-19 and sport participation for PWD. Participants were not excluded on the basis of their level of activity with a broad range of experiences and participation levels sought to gain a broader understanding of the impact of Covid-19.

In order to maximize accessibility in participation, the key focus group questions were emailed to participants prior to the session. Questions were provided on a Microsoft forms document which enabled participants to send answers in advance of the focus group which was seen as particularly useful for those with speech issues or whose disability caused them issues that meant they would be slow to type. Additionally, participants were encouraged to keep cameras on for those who may lip read, closed captioning was provided and use of the chat function was encouraged.

The key questions asked participants about their physical activity levels prior to the Covid-19 lockdown, how the lockdown and restrictions have impacted levels of physical activity, what has been a source of help in taking part in home-based exercises. Questioning also focused on how restrictions may have affected participants in other ways; socially, economically, and culturally as well as how participants felt about the easing of restrictions and beginning to access sport and physical activity again.

Focus groups were recorded using zoom functionality and transcribed verbatim. Each transcript of audio files and chats were analyzed by two members of the research team independently using a thematic analysis as a framework to guide the structure of researcher led analysis prior to discussion and agreement of key themes.

A key theme emerging from the research was that of creativity. Adaptation to a new “normal” has become a key component of Covid-19 restrictions for most people with a substantial decrease in excursions outside of the home for reasons other than essential trips. The pandemic has created an environment that heightened self-isolation by reducing physical activity levels (Pinto et al., 2020). It was evident during focus groups that participants had been working on finding new and innovative ways to remain physically active. Using household items such as tins of food as weights and a wall to practice foot movement and shots for racquet sports including tennis and badminton formed were just some examples used by participants. Others also purchased exercise equipment and followed online workouts. Angela has been able to continue with some activity due to living in a rural and reasonably isolated area and has therefore felt comfortable going for runs, however, uneven terrain makes this a safety concern the longer lockdown continues with daylight beginning to fade in the evening.

Interestingly, there was a change in the mindset of some participants to find the positives of lockdown with one suggesting that she “felt like it was my winter training season indoors” (Catherine) and adapted her training schedule to fit accordingly. From a non-sporting perspective, Chloe found that whilst previously struggling to stay in contact with friends from university, her level of social contact with them has increased and they now stay in contact regularly via Zoom, “we said we can't believe we didn't do this before.” This proved an issue for Helen who lived in a very remote area with limited access to strong internet for phone signal which led to the opposite experience to that of Chloe as she felt more isolated from her training squad. She did manage to overcome this through perseverance in finding appropriate places where the signal was the strongest and this helped with both the social aspect of online contact but also in relation to her training as this allowed her to set up a gym in a barn building to take part in online workouts.

Richard outlined that his sport required very specialist equipment which made it difficult to adapt training, however, in order to maintain a social element amongst the club members, “as all clubs were shut down, but what we did manage to do was use an online game…. which kept the club spirit alive and there was a lot of tactics involved.” This allowed clubs to run virtual leagues for a social outlet as well as providing athletes the opportunity to work on their tactical knowledge of the sport.

Ryan has found other ways to stay busy and spends most evenings talking on the phone with two older people in his neighborhood who are isolated. It is therefore clear that participants are trying to make the best of the situations they currently find themselves in and are finding creative ways to maintain their levels of activity and also to use their time effectively. Those participants who appeared to manage to maintain their social relationships or indeed grow them during the pandemic, such as Ryan's developing friendship with the two older gentlemen and the online forums and sessions that the youth athletes took part in through their organizations all exhibited a lack of pessimism in comparison to other participants. The ability to “help others out with shopping and things helps me with my own anxiety and depression” (Kai) has aided the development of a more positive outlook on leaving the house during and post-lockdown.

A lack of social relationships may exacerbate feelings of isolation and loneliness which Hawkley and Cacioppo (2010) link directly to decreases in self-esteem and increases in pessimism. The associated overly cautious behaviors linked with pessimism were exhibited by several participants. Those who did not talk about having social contact with group sessions or conversations with friends expressed more fear and caution over moving out of lockdown restrictions, however, this may also be linked to previous experiences. Gareth talks about how he fears attitudes of people in the street who often “don't move to the side and bump into people” making social distancing very difficult and that his “worry is, society will be more exclusive” (Gareth). The vulnerability of health conditions makes it a very uncertain transition to post-lockdown with concerns over going out as it “depends on whether we get a vaccine” (Jamie) and that “they don't understand the practicality for people like me” (Jamie) of going into coffee shops and restaurants where people have touched many things or where people are wearing face coverings making lip reading very difficult.

However, whilst creativity was evident, it was clear that lockdown was continuing longer than anticipated and that the novelty of finding new training methods was becoming tedious with both Ryan and Mark suggesting that “hitting a ball against a wall is boring” and Angela suggesting that “I don't really enjoy exercising at home (kind of boring).”

It is not only those in lockdown that have been adapting, organizations have encountered the challenges of no longer being able to deliver sports sessions or have face to face contact with their athletes or people they support. The online content delivered by numerous organizations has been well-received by participants with there “being a different workout everyday” (Grace) available. Providing group sessions to allow athletes to maintain contact with their training groups has been important and beneficial to athletes, however, this is something that hasn't been as readily available for recreational or casual activity participants with support often being more specific to athletes on performance pathways. As restrictions begin to ease and some sports begin their return to play protocols, support staff are now experiencing difficulties with engagement in their online events “numbers are lower now because some of the guys are back out training” (Nick). Throughout Covid-19 restrictions, staff within SDS have been heavily involved in engaging with athletes from daily or weekly activity sessions online, weekly training plans and “keeping contact through weekly Zoom calls has helped maintain connectivity with (athletes)” (Laura). Amy further added that she has “offered phone calls/ video chats to individual athletes” and has encouraged family members to become involved in activities as a additional support mechanisms to athletes being able to maintain physical activity levels but this has been challenging due to them as staff members facing the same challenges of adapting to new work environments imposed by lockdown.

Physical activity has been positively associated with greater mental health and well-being (Bize et al., 2007; White et al., 2017) in part due to the positive social environment linked with participating in physical activity or sport, however, Tough et al. (2017) have highlighted that people with disabilities may have fewer opportunities to partake in such social gatherings. During the current pandemic, this enforced isolation from these physical and social settings has exacerbated the gap between people with disabilities and those with no disability. A general consensus emerged from the findings that indicated participants had found the lack of social contact “tough” (Anna) with different factors contributing to this. Chloe indicated a level of fear as, despite being vulnerable, she was the “least vulnerable in her family” therefore leaving the weekly trip to the supermarket to her. However, this element of fear and feeling unsafe will be explored further in later themes.

The words “Anxiety” and “depression” were commonly used throughout the focus groups creating emotive discussions resulting in Mark highlighting “having suicidal thoughts at various points because of the feelings of isolation and anxiety,” however, he has also been able to alter these feelings into more positive thoughts and this has been helped further by being able to return to sport due to being involved in an individual sport where social distancing is easily maintained “I used to feel suicidal myself, but I've just realized there's nothing you can really do about it and you need to step up a bit and say that it's better than being not here.” Anxiety and depression were terms also used by Anna and Gareth who both linked these to emotions of fear and isolation which again have been exacerbated by Covid-19 restrictions. Gareth admitted to feeling “anxiety because of Covid” and “finding some days harder than others” and feels “like I am missing out” by not being able to go out and go to work and see people he would normally see.

It is therefore evident that the removal of opportunities to safely navigate society and remain physically active has had a negative impact on the mental well-being of PwD. The uncertain times and potential of a second wave or lockdown of Covid-19 increases the urgency of understanding how to support PwD experiencing feelings of anxiety, depression, or isolation. Linked closely with the positive mindset previously mentioned in relation to creativity, David “firmly believe that athletes will come out stronger, both physically, and mentally when they realize that they can be adaptive when forced into a corner to make those changes.”

For many, the lockdown measures have resulted in the closure of recreational facilities. Therefore, the only options are to engage in physical activities in one's own home or at outdoor public facilities like open fields, parks, and lakes. A common theme that emerged from the participants, was the concept of safety, or a lack thereof. Rimmer et al. (2004) identify emotional and psychological barriers as well as built and natural environment barriers as contributors to perceived safety issues amongst PwD. The concept of feeling unsafe was used by participants to describe a loss of protection from physical harm as well as a fear of being in a situation they could not control. For Angela, the feeling of not being “safe” was associated with the lack of hygienic accessible restrooms at outdoor facilities, particularly because easy access to restrooms was vital to the management of her coexisting condition. Increasing access to accessible and hygienic facilities becomes particularly more important during lockdown periods, as a lack of access has been shown to exacerbate loneliness and stress (Olsen, 2018).

For Jamie, the feeling of being unsafe in the outdoor built environment, existed even before the Covid-19 lockdown.

“For the past 5 years I have been terrified to go out, and I realized I need to get some exercise so obviously I tried to build up my confidence because I have mobility issues. The society is not that safe out there anymore for people with disabilities and I think it really impacted on me because of the potholes, I fell into a pothole, the pavements are not that flat, and it's very difficult to go out for a walk, ideally where you can walk safely and stuff.” (Jamie)

Studies have shown that the lack of features in the built environment can become facilitators or barriers to physical activity (Rosenberg et al., 2013; Misener et al., 2015; Eisenberg et al., 2017). Feelings of being unsafe have been exacerbated by the reduced access to hygienic and accessible facilities, including “safe accessible public transportation,” (Jamie) to outdoor facilities.

Angela admitted that the physical and environmental barriers made her “feel nervous,” thus showing a manifestation of biopsychosocial barriers to participation. Gareth and Kai also expressed anxiety in association with not feeling safe. Gareth was afraid that he would start experiencing pain, a symptom of his coexisting condition, while he was outdoors. He shared that “I really need to say to myself, today you need to go out, you will be fine.” Kai, expressed feeling anxiety because she did not feel safe neither in her residence nor outside of her residence. Kai shares a public kitchen with other people in her university residents. She concluded that since her disability is invisible, people around her did not respect the fact, or did not know that she was shielding. She found the behavior of her fellow residents irresponsible and dangerous. Their lack of social distancing and “stay at home” orders, left her feeling anxious about using the kitchen. Unfortunately, she felt like she had no option but to access food from outside, as she felt safer outside than inside.

Staff within SDS have recognized that their members and the athletes they support have faced multiple challenges from a mental well-being perspective with “many now experiencing poor mental health” (Laura) with many experiencing “isolation and change of routine due to shielding/activities stopping; becoming overwhelmed” (Amy). This social and psychological support provision adds to the role of the staff and has increased the importance of their role and it became clear that this contact also helped staff deal with the changes and struggles they were facing as “planned weekly activities, training and events have helped us all” (Karen).

Gareth and Jamie raised important points about the considerations that need to be made regarding facemasks. Jamie's concern was that many people need to see her lips to help them understand what she is saying, and so wearing a mask would make things even more difficult for her. Jamie mentioned that she had ordered face visors, but her concerns were not only around her speech, but also her mobility. She feared that going to restaurants now would be tricky as she is prone to bumping into things. She was concerned that the things she bumped into might not be sanitized, also that they would need to be sanitized after she touches them, thus increasing work for the employees of the restaurant. Gareth added that this extra effort for people with mobility issues would further emphasize their perceived disability in public. He also mentioned that not wearing a facemask, when masks are becoming the norm, will soon be considered “antisocial.” Therefore, PwD that cannot wear masks are at risk of further social exclusion, thus perpetuating the “deviant” identity imposed by society (Low, 1996, p. 236).

Anna and Gemma, also noticed an increased need to assert physical distancing from people without a disability, especially since they use a wheelchair. Before lockdown, Gemma was not too bothered by people without a disability using the accessibility ramps, she would even wait for them to walk to the end before she got on. Recently, Gemma has noticed how her patience for this behavior has waned. Anna also noticed that getting on elevators meant that people without disabilities had to be more accommodating than usual. This sometimes meant missing an elevator because there was not enough space to physical distance. This change in behavior has the potential to undo the shedding of the deviant identity i.e., the ability to pass as less disabled. People in wheelchairs need to demand more physical distance than people without a disability, further highlighting their disability. As we move toward returning to physical sport, this has also led to further implications for clubs. Some sports clubs are able to re-open with increased physical distancing but trying to accommodate wheelchairs or the needs of PWD will take longer as sometimes, for example, there is not enough room on the athletics track, to ensure the safety of PwD and other athletes. This is fine if there is dedicated time for PwD but this is not always the case, thus the return to participation in sport for those PwD will take longer than able bodied athletes.

Scottish Disability Sport have worked with Scottish Young People's panel who participate in sport and Young Start Team panel aims to get athletes with a disability into coaching and look at career progression and we spoke with them about the changes in direction of funding and the policy shift in terms of what is now seen as a priority. SDS were trying to use their panels to help feed back to Scottish Government in terms of access to sport participation, put daily activities online and ensure they avert isolation and reduced income earning potential for athletes. They were trying to address this exacerbation of disablement. The dual role of this organization in supporting those with a disability to participate in sport but simultaneously respond to government and UN level policy in their advocacy role means they are campaigning to have their voice heard and the rights of athletes with a disability protected as well as provide a daily contact for PWD involved in sport.