Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) is the Scottish governing and co-coordinating body of all sports for people of all ages and abilities with a physical, sensory or learning disability. SDS has the vision of a Scotland where physical activity and sport are welcoming and inclusive for participants with disabilities. SDS has published a national strategy “Inspiring Through Inclusion: 2021-2029”, which will direct the work of the Association for the next eight years. SDS lists its major partners as Scottish Government, sportscotland, Scotland’s Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Authorities plus Voluntary Organsitions concerned with disability.

SDS has 14 branches covering most of Scotland, reaching from the Highland area in the north to the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway in the south. SDS has a small team of dedicated staff and is enormously proud of the quality and quantity of volunteers and athlete members who play a major part in the running of the Association.

SDS members have featured prominently in ParalympicsGB teams that have been hugely successful at the past six Summer Paralympic Games. At the 2020 Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo, 33 Scottish athletes, pilots, guides and ramp assistants across 10 sports returned home with 2 gold, 9 silver and 10 bronze medals. Scottish athletes featured prominently in the GB team for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Paralympic Games winning 2 silver and 1 bronze medals.

Individual Scottish athletes and teams have over many years enjoyed considerable success and profile in the international arena. Scottish athletes and support staff have gained the respect of their international sporting colleagues across a wide range of sports. The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Scottish Team included 31 Para-athletes, the largest to be selected for an away Commonwealth Games. Team Scotland won 4 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals, making it the most successful ever Commonwealth Games from a para sport perspective.

SDS annually organises national events in bowls, athletics, football, swimming, boccia, cross country, etc, and the Branches of the Association organise complimentary qualifying events. There is a parallel programme of sport specific squad training, festivals and education and training opportunities for leaders and coaches. These programmes are geared towards developing new and existing sports and helping athlete members to realise their full potential through sport. The annual SDS Coaching and Education Calendar delivered 161 separate education & training opportunities last year, attracting 2,162 learners. SDS has a particular commitment to children and young people and to ensuring that at all times it demonstrates best practice in relation to equality.

SDS is constantly attempting to widen the range of available sports options for individuals of all levels of ability with a disability in Scotland. SDS has the responsibility of creating appropriate sport specific pathways for individual sports people. Playground to Podium is the goal of many talented Scottish disabled sportsmen and women and SDS is there to offer support and advice when required.

Click here to visit SDS’ website.