IPC Begins Two-Year Review of Classification System

The International Paralympic Committtee (IPC) announced today that they would begin a two-year process of reviewing its classification system.

The IPC classifies its athletes based on their disability to try and level the playing field between athletes with different physical impairments. This has been a hotbutton issue in swimming that came to a head at last year’s Paralympic Games, where American Victoria Arlen’s classification was challenged on the eve of the Games, and Mallory Weggemann and Justin Zook both had last-minute reclassifications as well before London.

There are many other instances, well-known in the Paralympic swimming community, of athletes who are clearly outside of the drafted bounds of the group into which they’re classified, including Paralympic medalists.

The full release by the IPC is below, where they call for input from around the community.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) launched its Classification Code Review process this month, encouraging all the Paralympic Movement’s stakeholders to suggest reasonable amendments to the current Code.

The IPC Classification Code was adopted by the IPC Governing Board in 2007 and provides policies and procedures for Paralympic classification that should be common to all sports and to the Paralympic Games.

This Code aims to contribute to sporting excellence for all athletes in the Paralympic Movement by providing equitable competition through classification processes that are robust, transparent and fair.

Peter Van de Vliet, IPC Medical and Scientific Director, said: “The IPC Classification Code is one of the basis of para-sport, through which each sport commits to the development of sport-specific and evidence-based classification systems. This is achieved through e.g. identifying eligible impairments specific to each sport, describing accurate methods of sport-specific assessment of athletes, and detailing classification policies and procedures.

“Feedback from our stakeholders on this Code is vital and will only help us strengthen classification across sports for the future.”

With continued evolution and development of classification, the IPC Governing Board recognises the need for a review of the Classification Code, which will include two consultation rounds.

The first round will run from 1 June-30 September 2013, whilst the second round will run the same dates but in 2014.

Following each consultation round, the feedback will be reviewed by the IPC Classification Committee and the IPC Governing Board. Following the first consultative round, a first draft of the modified IPC Classification Code will be circulated to the membership for the second consultation round.

The modified Code will be presented by the IPC Governing Board as a motion at the 2015 IPC General Assembly, and the amendments will take effect within one year of approval.

For the latest updates on the IPC Classification Code Review process, please visit the Classification Code Review page.

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Dr. Steve Smith
11 years ago

The whole IPC medical classification system is a joke. Thus it makes the Paralympics not taken seriously. The Classifiers on the technical end do not have medical backgrounds. The So called Medical Classifiers are not savy to understand disease , conditions and etc. It is a political system like figure skating judging. No country wants to fight the cheating and lack of understanding medical issues for fear of what IPC Swimming will do to that country. Until there is a separate governing body with actual Doctors who understand CP, Orthopedics, Neuromusclar Conditions and etc. , you can bet that the classifications are politically based. The IPC and Country’s Governing bodies should be ashamed of the scams that pulled in London,… Read more »

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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