CLASSIFICATION FAQs
What is Classification?
Classification establishes a unique framework that promotes fair and meaningful competition by minimising the impact of athletes’ impairments on the outcome of competition so that the outcome is determined by factors other than impairment. Classification is therefore essential to the Paralympic Movement as Para sport cannot exist without Classification.
Other sports also use classification systems to structure competition. For example, in judo, athletes are put into weight classes. In football, men and women compete separately. And in marathons, there are age categories. By grouping athletes by size, gender, and age, each sport minimises the impact of these factors on the outcome of competition.
Who is eligible to compete in Para sport?
To be allocated a Sport Class and Sport Class Status in Para sport, an athlete must:
- Have an Underlying Health Condition that leads to an Eligible Impairment. It is the responsibility of each International Federation to decide which Eligible Impairments they include in their sport. To be considered eligible, an athlete will be requested to provide Diagnostic Information about their health condition as part of the Classification process.
- Meet the Minimum Impairment Criteria (MIC) within the relevant sport related to that Eligible Impairment. MIC set the minimum level of impairment that impact the activities required for the sport. Therefore, MIC are also specific to each Para sport.
If you wish to compete in Para sport, and interested to find out more about eligibility, you can contact your National Paralympic Committee (NPC) or National Federation as a first step. Useful information may also be available from International Federations. For links to each IF’s main classification page, please see Classification by sport.
When and where are Athletes classified?
An Evaluation Session usually takes place in the days preceding an international Competition. However, not all Competitions offer Classification opportunities, and some sports may offer Classification opportunities that are not linked to Competitions.
The first stage of the Classification process must also take place ahead of an Evaluation Session, where Diagnostic Information is submitted to help the International Federation assess the existence of an Underlying Health Condition and Eligible Impairment.
For further information about potential Classification opportunities, links to each International Federation’s main classification page can be found in the Classification by sport section.
Who classifies Athletes?
Athletes are evaluated by Classifiers, who work in a group called a Classification Panel. Classifiers have the relevant qualifications and competencies, are knowledgeable in their sport, and certified as officials by the International Federation who govern the sport. For examples of typical expertise, please see the question “How does somebody become a Classifier?”.
Who can accompany an Athlete to Classification?
An Athlete can bring one person whose role is to support them during the Classification process. If required, an Athlete can also have one interpreter attending an Evaluation Session. Both these persons must be a National Representative.
A National Representative means any person who is an office-holder or member of staff of, or who otherwise represents and/or works on behalf of a National Federation.
What if an Athlete disagrees with their Sport Class?
Classification Panels make objective decisions based on a sport’s Classification rules. If an Athlete disagrees with the outcome of an Evaluation Session, each sport has its own Protest rules in place. These rules outline:
- Who may lodge a Protest
- What can be protested
- The timelines that apply
- Which documents are required, and
- Any fees to be paid
Please note, a Protest can only be lodged by a National Federation or National Paralympic Committee, and not by an individual Athlete.
If an Athlete has been classified, do they need to be classified again?
At the start of every Para athlete’s international career, they will need to be classified at least once. Further evaluations may be required for a number of reasons, for example, Athletes with progressive or fluctuating Underlying Health Conditions. Or, if an International Federation makes changes to their sport’s Classification rules, which, in some cases, may lead to Athletes being classified again.
Once an Athlete has completed an Evaluation Session, they are given a Sport Class and Sport Class Status. The Sport Class is a category for competition defined by each International Federation in their Classification rules, and the Sport Class Status indicates whether and when an Athlete may be required to undergo Classification in the future.
If an Athlete has been classified at national level, can they compete at international competitions?
National and international Classification are often governed by different sets of rules and processes. Each International Federation defines the level of Competition where athletes are required to be classified by a Classification Panel ahead of competing.
There may be some international Competitions where athletes can compete with the Sport Class allocated to them at national level, but as they progress through the international Competition pathway, they will need to be classified under the International Federation’s rules and processes.
For information specific to a particular sport, please consult the relevant National and/or International Federation. Links to each International Federation’s main classification page can be found in the Classification by sport section.
Does an Athlete need to be classified for every Para sport they compete in?
Yes. As every Para sport demands its own range of fundamental tasks and activities that are likely to be impacted by an athlete’s impairment differently, eligibility for one sport does not mean an Athlete is eligible for another.
How does somebody become a Classifier?
International Classifiers are trained and certified by a sport’s International Federation in one specific impairment group; either Intellectual, Physical or Vision Impairment. This is because Classifiers must have qualifications relevant to the impairments they evaluate. For example, the following occupations are often found amongst the three impairment groups:
- Intellectual Impairment: Psychologists, and experts in the sport and biomechanics.
- Physical Impairment: Medical doctors, physiotherapists, and experts in the sport and biomechanics.
- Vision Impairment: Ophthalmologists and optometrists.
Being involved in the classification of national level athletes is a great way to be introduced to Classification. To find out more about potential national training opportunities, please contact the relevant country’s National Paralympic Committee (NPC).
For details of sport specific international Classifier courses, checking an International Federation’s webpage is recommended. For links to each International Federation’s classification pages, please see Classification by sport.