Abstract
The book focuses on the research of television audiences and their perception of athletes with a disability, especially Paralympians, in the broadcasts of Czech Television. Czech Television regularly airs a program about Para athletes called "Paralympijský magazín," and the topic of disability also appears in news programs, particularly on ČT24 and ČT Sport. The aim of the research was to uncover the perception of Para athletes by television viewers. Theoretical emphasis was placed primarily on the audience and athletes with a disability.
The book provides answers to the following research questions: How do viewers perceive athletes with disabilities? Does the audience admire these athletes or do they feel sorry for them? What do viewers say about the presentation of Paralympic sports? Are there any differences in the presentation of athletes with and without a disability? Are the life stories of disabled athletes important in the reports? Does disabled sports make sense?
Feelings of sympathy or admiration were expressed across all focus groups, including the focus group with family members, who spoke most about the necessary integration but also made distinctions between disabled and non-disabled individuals, especially in their perception of the athletes themselves. Differences in visual attractiveness of athletes wtih a disabilty were also noted, not only by viewers who did not follow Para sports but also by some elite athletes with a disability. They emphasized the importance of the visual aspect in the presentation of Para sports.