Castle Claire L, Heinze Nikki, Gomes Renata S M
Social and Welfare, BRAVO VICTOR, London, United Kingdom.
School of Music, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Front Sports Act Living. 2024 Dec 23;6:1395672. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1395672. eCollection 2024.
This article offers unique insight into Team Ukraine's experiences of attending an international sporting event for veterans living with disability and injured active-duty personnel (the United States' Department of Defense Warrior Games, "The Games") and a 5-week preparatory camp in the United Kingdom (UK).
A survey gathered qualitative data at three time points: during the second and final week of training camp, and the in the two weeks immediately following participation at The Games. Forty-four out of 55 members of Team Ukraine (including veterans, active-duty personnel, support staff, and family members) provided responses in Survey 1, 20 in Survey 2, and 18 in Survey 3. These responses were thematically analysed to explore experiences and motivations for participation.
Five main themes were identified: Rest and recuperation; The ongoing conflict as a source of motivation; The sporting experience; Veterans in sport; and Relationships. Whilst physically demanding, the camp was an opportunity for respite and emotional processing, and participants reflected on social benefits and improvements to physical health and sporting abilities. Perhaps of greatest significance was the role of the ongoing conflict in their motivations to attend The Games. The conflict brought participants together in their collective goals of representing Ukraine on an international stage, raising awareness of the war, and demonstrating strength through sporting success. Findings highlight the challenges experienced and overcome by Team Ukraine and provides insight into the role that competitive sporting events may play during times of conflict as a means of demonstrating national strength and pride, and meeting individuals' health and well-being needs.
本文深入探讨了乌克兰团队带领残疾退伍军人和受伤现役人员参加国际体育赛事（美国国防部勇士运动会，即“运动会”）以及在英国参加为期5周的训练营的经历。
一项调查在三个时间点收集定性数据：训练营的第二周和最后一周，以及参加运动会后的两周内。乌克兰团队的55名成员中有44人（包括退伍军人、现役人员、后勤人员和家属）在调查1中做出了回应，20人参与了调查2，18人参与了调查3。对这些回应进行了主题分析，以探究参与的经历和动机。
确定了五个主要主题：休息与恢复；持续的冲突作为动力来源；体育体验；体育界的退伍军人；以及人际关系。尽管训练营对体能要求很高，但它为参与者提供了喘息和情感梳理的机会，参与者们也反思了社交益处以及对身体健康和运动能力的改善。或许最重要的是持续冲突在他们参加运动会的动机中所起的作用。冲突使参与者们为了在国际舞台上代表乌克兰、提高对战争的认识以及通过体育成就展示实力这一共同目标而团结在一起。研究结果突出了乌克兰团队所经历并克服的挑战，并深入了解了竞技体育赛事在冲突时期可能发挥的作用，即作为展示国家实力和自豪感以及满足个人健康和福祉需求的一种方式。
