Become A Classifier
Classifiers ensure that athletes compete on a level playing field by evaluating functional ability and assigning sport classes.
Classification is critical to achieving the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) mission “to enable Para athletes to achieve sporting excellence.”
About the IPC Classification Code
The IPC Classification Code, first published in 2007, provided unifying principles to guide the development of classification by providing a framework for classification systems across all Para sports. The Code undergoes regular review to keep up with the rapid pace of advances in sport, medicine, technology, training, and research that inform and improve classification for all athletes in Para sport.
The systems of classification in Parasport perform two fundamental functions for supporting all athletes in achieving sport excellence:
- A classification system defines the minimum impairment required to be eligible to compete in that Para sport, thus providing a framework for determining who is (and who is not) a Para athlete.
- A classification system groups athletes into sport classes to control for the impact of impairment on the outcome of competition and ensure sporting excellence determines which athlete or team is ultimately victorious (International Paralympic Committee, 2015; Tweedy & Vanlandewijck, 2011).
These fundamental principles of classification make it possible to conduct legitimate Para sport competition and maintain competition integrity by distinguishing the very best athletes from all others.
Follow the links below to learn more about becoming a classifier.