PIRAEUS (Greece) - People with disabilities are, first and foremost, people. Their condition should never keep them on the sidelines or detached from the community. As humans, we all have strengths and challenges, and it is our obligation to honor the dignity of our neighbors - identifying and working to address our assumptions and attitudes.
Stigmas are not reimagined behind closed doors, in isolation, or at a distance. One event or practice will not transform a shared community point of view. Shared efforts, over time, lead to change for people with disabilities.
Involving the wider community. Reinforcing humanity with others. Giving people with disabilities safe spaces to demonstrate self-confidence and take an active role in reducing stereotypes. That’s what is required.
For the past the past decade, Ioannis Tsoumpris and the JumpBall of Love team have developed a project methodology to sustain change for people with disabilities across urban, rural, and island communities in Greece. Not just knowledge transfer, but behavior change - at the individual and community levels. The program is designed to purposefully engage all community actors to reshape social perceptions of disability inclusion and ensure meaningful, enduring individual change is made for people living with disabilities.
ENCOURAGING POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD DISABILITY INCLUSION
The “Inclusive Basketball Without Labels” project is a Basketball for Good initiative seeking to improve the quality of life for children and youth living with disabilities through the game. Bringing together participants with disabilities, participants without disabilities, and veteran basketball players, the project creates a unique environment where differences fade and human connections thrive.
The JumpBall of Love team’s aim is to showcase the physical and social value of sport, encourage positive attitudes toward disability inclusion and pursue changes in attitudes and perceptions of people living with disabilities.
The co-educational training sessions - which involve special education schools and mainstream schools - use adapted drills and inclusive coaching practices to promote interaction among mixed groups and reduce stigmas. Veteran athletes are relied on as role models to instill confidence, share experiences, and reinforce the value of team dynamics on and off the court.
RALLYING THE COMMUNITY FOR MEANINGFUL CHANGE
Approximately 300–350 people, including children and young people with disabilities, participants without disabilities, and veteran basketball players who actively took part in the inclusive basketball activities.
For participants, sport became far more than physical activity. It strengthened their health, wellbeing and self-confidence while creating opportunities to connect with others.
The on-court experiences and cooperation in sporting environments fostered empathy, respect, and greater understanding for participants without disabilities - working to promote equality and dismantle stereotypes.
Approximately 900–1,100 people, including family members, caregivers, educators, volunteers, local community members, and audiences, were welcomed and supported at community events and through project communication.
The inclusion of the greater community proved to increase awareness, engagement, and acceptance of inclusive sport practices, establishing foundational elements for long-term attitudinal and behavioral change.
GROWTH ON THE COURT MIRRORS GROWTH AT HOME & IN THE COMMUNITY
When one particular participant, a teenage boy with an intellectual disability, joined the project. He was hesitant to engage with others and avoided group activities. Regular involvement in basketball activities, with peers and the support of veteran hoopers, proved to make a difference both on and off the court.
As time went on, he began to not only engage but also take pride in the basketball sessions, demonstrating a stronger motivation to communicate, be part of a team, and celebrate shared successes. His family noted the increased self-confidence and the improved willingness to pursue social interactions and a stronger sense of belonging beyond the hardwood.
TOTAL PARTICIPATION IS KEY FOR CONTINUED CHANGE
Inclusion is most effective when it is experiential and ongoing, rather than limited to one-off events. Strong communication and trust-building with families and communities are critical to achieving lasting impact.
Ioannis Tsoumpris said it best, and the FIBA Foundation is thrilled to continue the support given to the JumpBall of Love team as they work to create more inclusive basketball experiences for children and youth with disabilities across Greece.
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The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports and particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.
The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball For Good projects around the world.