Para Athletics – Classification

The purpose of the IPC Classification system is to provide a structure for competition for people with health conditions that cause impairments, which impact sport performance, to ensure fair competition. Specifically, it is designed to promote participation in sport by individuals with impairment by providing a competitive structure which minimises the impact of eligible impairment types on the outcome of competition. 

To ensure competition is fair and equal, all Paralympic sports have a system in place which ensures that winning is determined by skill, fitness, power, endurance, tactical ability and mental focus, the same factors that account for success in sport for able-bodied athletes. This process is called ‘classification’ and its purpose is to minimise the impact of impairments on the activity (‘sport discipline’). Having the impairment thus is not sufficient; the impact on the sport must be proved, and each in Paralympic sport, the criteria of grouping athletes by the degree of activity limitation resulting from the impairment are named ‘sport classes’. 

Through classification, it is determined which athletes are eligible to compete in a sport and how athletes are grouped together for competition. This, to a certain extent, is similar to grouping athletes by age, gender or weight.  Classification is sport-specific because an impairment affects the ability to perform in different sports to a different extent. As a consequence, an athlete may meet the criteria in one sport, but may not meet the criteria in another sport. 

Classification in para sport has been evolving since first introduced in the 1940’s. Early classification was based on medical diagnoses but functional systems soon became necessary. Functional systems of classification are sport-specific as any given impairment may have a significant impact in one sport and relatively minor impact in another.  

As new classification systems emerged, the need for a universal classification strategy led to the publication of the IPC Classification code in 2007 and subsequent revisions in 2015. The IPC Classification Code mandates the development of evidence-based systems of classification and details policies and procedures that should be common to all sports within the Paralympic Movement. 

DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for Para athletics, a person must have an eligible impairment type and the impairment must be judged to be severe enough to have an impact on the sport of athletics. Minimum Disability Criteria (MDC) are described in the World Para Athletics Classification Rules and Regulations. There are 10 eligible impairment types: eight physical impairments as well as vision impairment and intellectual impairment.

Impaired Muscle Power  Impaired Passive Range of Movement  Limb Deficiency  Leg Length Difference  Short Stature Hypertonia  Ataxia  Athetosis Vision Impairment Intellectual Impairment

Athletes with Impaired Muscle Power have a Health Condition that either reduces or eliminates their ability to voluntarily contract their muscles in order to move or to generate force. 

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Impaired Muscle Power include spinal cord injury (complete or incomplete, tetra-or paraplegia or paraparesis), muscular dystrophy, post-polio syndrome and spina bifida.

Athletes with Impaired Passive Range of Movement have a restriction or a lack of passive movement in one or more joints. 

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Impaired Passive Range of Movement include arthrogryposis and contracture resulting from chronic joint immobilisation or trauma affecting a joint.

Athletes with Limb Deficiency have total or partial absence of bones or joints as a consequence of trauma (for example traumatic amputation), illness (for example amputation due to bone cancer) or congenital limb deficiency (for example dysmelia). 

Athletes with Leg Length Difference have a difference in the length of their legs as a result of a disturbance of limb growth, or as a result of trauma. 

Athletes with Short Stature have a reduced length in the bones of the upper limbs, lower limbs and/or trunk. 

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Short Stature include achondroplasia, growth hormone dysfunction, and osteogenesis imperfecta.

Athletes with Hypertonia have an increase in muscle tension and a reduced ability of a muscle to stretch caused by damage to the central nervous system. 

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Hypertonia include cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and stroke. 

Athletes with Ataxia have uncoordinated movements caused by damage to the central nervous system. 

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Ataxia include cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke and multiple sclerosis.

Athletes with Athetosis have continual slow involuntary movements. 

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Athetosis include cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and stroke. 

Athletes with Vision Impairment have reduced, or no vision caused by damage to the eye structure, optical nerves or optical pathways, or visual cortex of the brain. 

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Vision Impairment include retinitis pigmentosa and diabetic retinopathy. 

Athletes with an Intellectual Impairment have a restriction in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour in which affects conceptual, social and practical adaptive skills required for everyday life. This Impairment must be present before the age of 18. 

TRACK AND JUMP (PREFIX T FOR TRACK)

DISCIPLINE: Running and jumping (20 classes)

 SPORT CLASSES (Impairment types):

T11-13 (Vision impairment)

T20 (Intellectual impairment)

T35-38 (Co-ordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis)

T40-41 (Short stature)

T42-44 (Lower limb competing without prosthesis affected by limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement)

T45-47 (Upper limb/s affected by limb deficiency, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement)

T61-64 (Lower limb/s competing with prosthesis affected by limb deficiency and leg length difference)

DISCIPLINE: Wheelchair racing (7 classes)SPORT CLASSES (Impairment types):

T32-34 (Co-ordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis)

T51-54 (Limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement)

T32-34 (Co-ordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis)

DISCIPLINE: RaceRunning (3 classes)SPORT CLASSES (Impairment types)

RR1, RR2, RR3 (athletes with severe co-ordination impairment (hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis) competing in RaceRunning events in Sport Classes RR1, RR2, RR3 (more information  here).

THROWS (PREFIX F FOR FIELD)

DISCIPLINE: Standing throws (19 classes)

SPORT CLASSES (Impairment types):

F11-13 (Vision impairment)

F20 (Intellectual impairment)

F35-38 (Co-ordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis)

F40-41 (Short stature)

F42-44 (Lower limb competing without prosthesis affected by limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement)

F45-46 (Upper limb/s affected by limb deficiency, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement)

F61-64 (Lower limb/s competing with prosthesis affected by limb deficiency and leg length difference)

DISCIPLINE: Seated throws (11 classes) SPORT CLASSES (Impairment types):

F31-34 (Co-ordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis)

F51-57 (Limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement)

For more information about Para Athletics Classification

Please visit the World Para Athletics Website.

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