Representation of the notion of competition in adapted sport by physical education and sports teachers in the centres of inclusive education in Timi oara and in the Timi County

The notion of competition has various connotations within adapted sports and varies from the Paralympic Sports to the Special Olympics. The purpose of this research is to analyse the way in which adapted sports is perceived by P.E. and sports teachers from the school centres of inclusive education in the Timi county. The pupils of these centres have intellectual disabilities and can take part in sportive competitions such as the Special Olympics that are organized according to the athletes’ abilities by using ‘divisioning’ (splitting into value groups according to sportive abilities). By using the semi-directive interview method, 6 teachers (3 female, 3 male) from Timi oara and the Timi county were interviewed, each having between 8 and 40 years’ worth of teaching experience. The thematic analysis of the interviews has highlighted the fact that without a concrete specialization in the field of adaptive physical education and sports and only based on a course of special psycho-pedagogy, the teachers have tried to conceive by themselves a curriculum based on the one given the Ministry of Education on physical education and sports for general education schools, this being also reflected on the Special Olympics competitions in which teachers can take part with pupils in order to win, this representing the main objective of their involvement and participation in competitions.