The doctoral thesis aims to ascertain whether engaging in para-alpine skiing contributed to a swifter and more effective resocialisation of persons after an injury. At the same time we examined the social structure, sports identity, self-concept, and life satisfaction of the target group. The sample comprised all the 129 athletes with acquired disabilities who participated in the Paralympic Games in Sochi in para-alpine skiing. The participants came from five continents, were of both genders, had different classifications, and competed in all para-alpine skiing disciplines. Using a survey, we collected socio-demographic information, data on the accessibility of ski slopes for para-alpine athletes, participants’ disability, funding of para-sports, sports activity, life satisfaction, self-concept, and athletic identity of the participants. Additionally, we conducted six structured interviews where we had in-depth conversations with participants regarding their reintegration into society after injury and their personal experiences with it. The main finding of the quantitative part of the research is that both life satisfaction and sports identity of the participants are on a very high level in the great majority of the participants, but neither is notably correlated to participants’ socio-demographic characteristics, sports-career pathway and disability characteristics. The reason for this probably lies in the small variability of the responses, because the sample comprised only para-athletes of the highest competitive level. The qualitative research confirmed the significant role that sports play in integrating individuals with disabilities into society, as well as their self-concept and life satisfaction.
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