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2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Wheelchair fencing

Eligible impairment types: 

• Impaired muscle power
• Impaired passive range of movement
• Limb deficiency
• Leg length difference
• Athetosis
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia

Sport classes

All wheelchair fencers have an impairment of their legs or feet that prohibits them from competing against standing, able-bodied fencers. They all compete in wheelchairs, and are allocated one of the below sport classes depending on their trunk function. This is because the wheelchairs cannot be moved during competition to get closer to the opponents or to avoid the opponent’s attack, so that the athletes rely on moving their upper body while sitting in the chair.

Category A

Fencers in category A have good trunk control, allowing them to bend forward and sideways explosively when attacking their opponent or dodging an attack. Also, their fencing arm is fully functional. Fencers in this sport class have lower limb deficiency or paraplegia, for example. Not all of fencers in this category use a wheelchair in their daily life.

Category B

Category B fencers have an impairment that impacts their legs as well as their trunk or their fencing arm. Some of the fencers, for example, have incomplete tetraplegia. You will see them support their trunk movements with their non-fencing arm to effectively attack the opponent.

1. Home
2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Wheelchair rugby

Eligible impairment types: 

• Impaired muscle power
• Impaired passive range of movement
• Limb deficiency
• Athetosis
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia

Sport classes

The sport was originally designed for athletes with tetraplegia. Today, the team sport also includes players with other impairments that cause limited arm and leg function.

Athletes with an eligible impairment are allocated a sport class based on their abilities in performing the wheelchair rugby skills of ball handling, such as passing, catching, carrying, and dribbling the ball; and wheelchair skills including pushing, starting, stopping, directional changes, tackling and blocking. Therefore, one sport class includes athletes with different eligible impairments, but the impairments lead to a similar activity limitation in wheelchair rugby.

There are seven different sport classes: 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5. The most significant activity limitation is described in the 0.5 sport class profile.

Below you will find a short description of four out of seven sport class profiles.

Sport class 0.5 

Players in sport class 0.5 have significantly limited function in their shoulder, arms and hands, for example due to tetraplegia. The player would typically catch the ball by tapping it into their lap and throw the ball with a scoop pass. Their main role on the court is as a blocker.

Sport class 1.5

A player in sport class 1.5 has fair arm function, which makes him or her an excellent blocker. A 1.5 player will also handle the ball on occasion, but typically they show some instability in the wrist, which leads to limited ball security. Some athletes also have asymmetrical arm function, so that they mainly handle the ball with their strong arm only.

Sport class 2.5 

Players in this sport class have good shoulder stability and arm function. They might have some trunk control. Due to their ability to flex their fingers, they can perform overhead passes, catch the ball with two hands and manoeuvre the wheelchair effectively. In the team they are ball handlers and fairly fast playmakers.

Sport class 3.5

A 3.5 player has good arm and hand function, which makes him or her a major ball handler in the team. They have some trunk function, which helps them to rapidly accelerate the wheelchair. They will typically have a high and upright sitting position. Also, an athlete with above knee amputations of both legs and with a loss of fingers and hand surface on both sides may play in this sport class. You will see 3.5 players perform controlled one-handed, long-distance passes.

Sport technical rules 

Players with different sport classes play together in a team of four. The total number of points in a team on court for four players may not exceed eight points. This way the impact of the impairment on the game is balanced between the two teams.

1. Home
2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Wheelchair basketball

Eligible impairment types: 

• Impaired muscle power
• Impaired passive range of movement
• Limb deficiency
• Leg length difference
• Athetosis
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia

Sport classes

Wheelchair basketball players are allocated one of eight sport classes from 1.0 to 4.5. Sport class 1.0 describes the most significant activity limitation.

All athletes compete in a wheelchair and have an impairment affecting their legs or feet. Players, for example, have amputations or paraplegia. Not all the players are wheelchair users in daily life.

While most athletes have normal arm and hand function, the main differences between athletes of different sport classes are trunk control and sitting balance, which allows them to lean forward and sideways to catch and pass the ball:

Sport class 1.0 

Players in sport class 1.0 have no trunk control and thus cannot bend forward or sideways or rotate to catch and pass the ball. To keep a stable position, the backrest of the wheelchair is a bit higher and the athletes are strapped to the wheelchair.

Sport class 2.0 

These players can lean forward and rotate their body to some extent, allowing them to catch the ball within a larger radius. Like their team members in sport class 1.0, their wheelchairs have a higher backrest and strapping for trunk support.

Sport class 3.0

This profile describes players who can fully rotate and lean forward, but cannot lean to the sides. As they do not need sitting support, their wheelchair has a low backrest.

Sport class 4.0 While 4.0 players can move forward and rotate like their team members in sport class 3.0, they can partially lean to the sides as well. Often players in this sport class can lean to one side only, for example, because an impairment in one leg would cause a loss of balance to the other side.

Sport class 4.5

Players in this sport class have the least eligible impairment and have no restriction in trunk rotation or leaning forward or sideways. Players with a foot amputation or a six centimetre leg length difference would be eligible for this sport class.

An athlete can also be allocated the sport classes 1.5, 2.5 or 3.5. The activity profile of these “half-pointers” fit in between the profiles of the lower and higher class.

Sport technical rules 

Each team of five players is only allowed to have 14 points on the field of play at the same time.

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2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Table tennis

Eligible impairment types: 

• Impaired muscle power
• Impaired passive range of movement
• Limb deficiency
• Leg length difference
• Intellectual impairment
• Athetosis
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia
• Short stature

Sport classes

In table tennis, players with physical impairments compete in sport classes 1-10 and athletes with an intellectual impairment compete in sport class 11. Athletes in the sport classes 1-5 compete in a wheelchair and athletes in sport classes 6-10 compete standing. In more detail, the sport classes for athletes with a physical impairment can be described as follows:

Sitting classes

Sport class one 

Class one players have no sitting balance and a significantly affected playing arm, for example due to tetraplegia. Players would often support their sitting balance with the non-playing arm.

Sport class two

Players in this sport class also have no sitting balance, and their playing arm is moderately affected. Like the players in sport class one, they tape the racket to the hand to make up for limited grip function.

Sport class three

Players in sport class three have full hand and arm function. With their good arm function, they can manoeuvre the wheelchair while maintaining good balance of their upper body. The athlete’s impairment may result from spinal cord injuries or neurological conditions, such as cerebral palsy.

Sport class four

Class four players have some sitting balance and fully functional arms and hands. They can move to the front to meet their opponent’s serve.

Sport class five 

This sport class includes athletes who compete in a wheelchair, and have normal sitting balance, arm and hand function. With the good trunk function, they can stretch out to the sides to hit the ball. The sport class includes athletes with lower spinal cord injuries.

Standing classes

Sport class six 

Class six players have impairments affecting both arms and legs and play standing. The sport class includes, for example, athletes with ataxia, athetosis or hypertonia which affects the legs and the playing arm. These impairments impact the balance and the quality of strokes.

Sport class seven 

Class seven players either have significant impairments of both legs or the playing arm, or impairments affecting arms and legs moderately. For example, a player with an amputation of both arms above the elbow could compete in this sport class.

Sport class eight

Athletes with moderate impairment of their legs or moderately affected playing arm compete in this sport class. An athlete with muscle weakness in one leg due to polio would for example compete in this sport class.

Sport class nine

Class nine players have mild impairments affecting the legs or the playing arm. Athletes with a stiff knee or restricted elbow of the playing arm compete in this sport class. Also, athletes who have significant impairments in the non-playing arm compete in this sport class. This will impact serving the ball.

Sport class 10

Players in this sport class have relatively mild impairments, such as a stiff ankle or wrist of the playing arm. Players with short stature may also play in sport class 10.

Sport class 11 intellectual impairment

Table tennis players with an intellectual impairment typically have difficulties with: pattern recognition, sequencing, and memory, or having a slower reaction time, which all have an impact on table tennis skills, tactics and performance.

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2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Sitting volleyball

Eligible impairment types: 

• Impaired muscle power
• Impaired passive range of movement
• Limb deficiency
• Leg length difference
• Athetosis
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia

Sport classes

There are two sport classes in sitting volleyball, called MD for “Minimally Disabled” and D for “Disabled”. The impairment of athletes in sport class MD is generally less severe than the impairment of athletes competing in sport class D.

For example, with an amputation through the foot a player would be classified as MD, whereas athletes with above knee amputations would be allocated sport class D. Impairments can affect the lower and the upper limbs, for example causing stiffness of joints or shortening of extremities.

Sport technical rules 

To ensure a fair competition between two teams, a team may only have one MD player on the court. The other five players must have sport class D.

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2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Swimming

Eligible impairment types: 

• Impaired muscle power
• Impaired passive range of movement
• Limb deficiency
• Leg length difference
• Intellectual impairment
• Athetosis
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia
• Short stature
• Visual impairment

Sport classes

The sport class names in swimming consist of a prefix “S” or “SB” and a number. The prefixes stand for the strokes and the number indicates the sport classes. The prefixes stand for:

• S: freestyle, butterfly and backstroke events
• SB: breaststroke
• SM: individual medley. The prefix “SM” is given to athletes competing in individual medley events. It is not a sports class, but an entry index and calculated as (3xS + SB)/4; for classes S1-4 who have a three-discipline medley, the formula is (2S + SB)/3).

Sport classes S1-S10 physical impairment

There are 10 different sport classes for athletes with physical impairment, numbered 1-10. A lower number indicates a more severe activity limitation than a higher number.

Athletes with different impairments compete against each other, because sport classes are allocated based on the impact the impairment has on swimming, rather than on the impairment itself.

To evaluate the impact of impairments on swimming, classifiers assess all functional body structures using a point system and ask the athlete to complete a water assessment. The total number of points then determines the athlete’s S and SB sport classes. Due to the different demands of S and SB events, swimmers are often allocated different S and SB sport classes. The SM sport class is calculated from the S and SB sport class.

The following are general examples of impairments and resulting functional abilities described in each sport class profiles. The below combinations of S and SB sport classes are the most common combinations, but it is possible that that athlete has another combination of sport classes, for example S7 and SB 7.

S1 SB1 

Swimmers in this sport class have a significant loss of muscle power or control in legs, arms and hands. Some athletes also have limited trunk control. This may be caused by tetraplegia, for example. Swimmers in this class usually use a wheelchair in daily life.

S2 SB1

Swimmers in this sport class mainly rely on their arms for swimming. Their hand, trunk and leg function is limited due to tretraplegia or co-ordination problems, for example.

S3 SB2

This sport class includes athletes with amputations of both arms and legs. Swimmers with reasonable arm strokes but no use of their legs or trunk and swimmers with severe coordination problems in all limbs are also included in this sport class.

S4 SB3

Swimmers who can use their arms and have fair function in their hands, but who cannot use their trunk or legs would swim in this sport class. Athletes with amputations of three limbs could also swim in this sport class.

S5 SB4

Swimmers with short stature and an additional impairment, with loss of control over one side of their body (hemiplegia) or with paraplegia compete in this sport class.

S6 SB5

This sport class includes swimmers with short stature or amputations of both arms, or moderate co-ordination problems on one side of their body, for example.

S7 SB6

This sport class is designated to athletes with one leg and one arm amputation on opposite sides, or a paralysis of one arm and one leg on the same side. Moreover, swimmers with full control over arms and trunk and some leg function can compete in this class.

S8 SB7 

Swimmers who have an amputation of one arm are eligible to compete in this sport class. Also, athletes with significant restrictions across hip, knee and ankle joints could compete in this sport class.

S9 SB8

Athletes in this sport class, for example, swim with joint restrictions in one leg or with double below-the-knee amputations.

S10 SB9

This class describes minimal physical impairments of eligible swimmers. These include the loss of one hand or a movement restriction in one hip joint.

Sport classes S/SB11-13 visual impairment 

Athletes with a visual impairment compete in 3 sport classes from S/SB11 (B1) to S/SB13 (B3) as described here. In order to ensure a fair competition athletes in the S/SB11 sport class are required to wear blackened goggles. To ensure safety all S/SB11 swimmers must use a tapper, swimmers in the S/SB12 and S/SB13 sport classes may choose whether or not they wish to use one.

Sport classes S/SB14 intellectual impairment 

S14 swimmers have an intellectual impairment, which typically leads to the athletes having difficulties with regards to pattern recognition, sequencing, and memory, or having a slower reaction time, which impact on sport performance in general. Moreover, S14 swimmers show a higher number of strokes relative to their speed than able-bodied elite swimmers.

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3. Classification
4. Shooting

Eligible impairment types: 

• Impaired muscle power
• Impaired passive range of movement
• Limb deficiency
• Athetosis
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia

Sport classes

In shooting, there are three different sport classes. These sport classes are specific to the event the athlete competes in – either pistol or rifle events.

Sport class SH1 (pistol)

In this sport class athletes are able to support the full weight of the pistol themselves. As the pistol is held with one hand only, athletes in this sport class have an impairment affecting one arm and/or the legs, for example resulting from amputations or spinal cord injuries. Some shooters compete in a seated position, while others will compete in a standing position as defined in the sport rules

Sport class SH1 (rifle)

In this sport class athletes are able to support the full weight of the rifle themselves. As the rifle is held with both hands, athletes in this sport class have an impairment in their legs, for example amputations or paraplegia. Some athletes will compete in a seated position, while others will compete in a standing position.

Sport class SH2 (rifle)

In this sport class athletes have an impairment that affects their arms, meaning they are not able to support the full weight of the rifles themselves. Athletes therefore compete using a shooting stand to support the weight of the rifle. Athletes competing in this sport class have impairments such as arm amputations or congenital impairments affecting the muscle power/movement in their arms. Some SH2 shooters have impairments in both the arms and legs, such as tetraplegia. The majority of athletes in this sport class compete in a seated position.

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2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Goalball

Eligible impairment types: 

• Visual impairment

Sport class

Athletes competing in goalball all have varying degrees of visual impairment ranging from the B1-B3 sport classes as described here. In order to ensure a fair competition between the teams, all players must wear eyeshades during the game.

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2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Sailing

Eligible impairment types: 

• Impaired muscle power
• Impaired passive range of movement
• Limb deficiency
• Athetosis
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia
• Visual impairment

Sport classes

The sport classes are different for the different competition formats in sailing. The sailors either compete on their own or in crews of two or three.

The sailors are classified with a sport class from one to seven, with seven indicating the least severe and one indicating the most severe eligible impairment. The following are the benchmark profiles of athletes in each sports class

Sport class one

Athletes in sport class one may have complete Quadriplegia, a double through shoulder amputation or an equivalent activity limitation in sailing caused by the other eligible impairment types

Sport class two

Athletes in sport class two may have a double above elbow amputation, single above elbow amputation and single below elbow amputation or an equivalent activity limitation in sailing caused by the other eligible impairment types.

Sport class three

Athletes in sport class three may have a single above knee amputation and single above elbow amputation, double below elbow amputation or an equivalent activity limitation in sailing caused by the other eligible impairment types. These athletes may also have a visual impairment equivalent to B1 as described here.

Sport class four

Athletes in sport class four may have a single through shoulder amputation, double above knee amputation, double below knee amputation without prostheses, single above knee and single below knee amputation without prostheses or an equivalent activity limitation in sailing caused by the other eligible impairment types.

Sport class five

Athletes in sport class five may have a single above elbow amputation, single above knee amputation and single below knee amputation with prostheses or an equivalent activity limitation in sailing caused by the other eligible impairment types. These athletes may also have a visual impairment equivalent to B2 as described here.

Sport class six

Athletes in sport class six may have a double below knee amputation with prostheses, single below elbow amputation or have an equivalent activity limitation in sailing caused by the other eligible impairment types.

Sport class seven 

Athletes in sport class seven may have a single above knee amputation, single below knee amputation without prosthesis (excluding Symes amputation or equivalent) or an equivalent activity limitation in sailing caused by the other eligible impairment types. These athletes may also have a visual impairment equivalent to B3 as described here.

Events 

Three-person keelboat

To make sure that no crew has an advantage or disadvantage in competition due to impairment, each crew is only allowed a maximum of 14 points.

Two-person keelboat

One sailor has to be allocated the sport class “TPA” and the other one has to be allocated the sport class “TPB.” One of the crew members must be female.

The sport class TPA includes athletes with more severe impairments, which are equivalent to a sport class one or two. Athletes with complete tetraplegia or a double above-the-elbow amputation could, for example, compete in the TPA sport class.

The sport class TPB means that an athlete only has to meet the minimum impairment criteria for sailing. Therefore, athletes of all seven sport classes could compete in the TPB sport class, including athletes with visual impairment.

Single-person keelboat

To sail on the single-person keelboat athletes only have to pass the minimum impairment criteria.

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3. Classification
4. Rowing

Sport classes

For athletes with physical impairment there are three different sport classes in place:

AS 

Athletes in sport class AS primarily use their arms and shoulders to accelerate the boat. These athletes have minimal or no leg and trunk function, which can be caused by spinal cord injuries for example.

TA

The sport class TA comprises athletes who can use their arms and trunk when rowing, but are not able to utilise the sliding seat when performing the strokes. These athletes typically have good trunk and arm function. For example, athletes with a double around the knee amputation would fit this sport class profile.

LTA-PD

This sport class includes athletes with a physical impairment who can use their legs, trunk and arms to accelerate the boat and can use the sliding seat. Athletes who miss three fingers on one hand or have a foot amputation might be eligible to compete in this sport class.

LTA-VI

Rowers in this sport class have varying degrees of visual impairment ranging from the B1-B3 sport class as described here.

Events

There are four different events in Para-rowing.

LTA mixed coxed four

Two male and two female rowers from the sport classes LTA-PD and LTA-VI form a team. Due to their physical strength, only two rowers in the team may have a visual impairment and no more than one may have the sport class LTA-VI B3. All athletes with a visual impairment are blindfolded during training and competition.

TA mixed double sculls

One female and one male rower of sport class TA form a team.

AS women’s single sculls and AS men’s single sculls

In sport class AS there are separate events for men and women and the athletes compete in single boats.

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2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Para-triathlon

Eligible impairment types: 

• Impaired muscle power
• Impaired passive range of movement
• Limb deficiency
• Athetosis
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia
• Visual impairment

Sport classes

In Para-triathlon there are four different sport classes for athletes with physical impairment, numbered one to four. There is one fifth sport class for athletes with vision impairment named PT5.

 In one sport class you can find athletes with different impairment types and severity, compete against each other. As a general principle, the impact of impairment on the performance within one class is similar. The reason being that sport classes are allocated based on the impact the impairment has on triathlon rather than on the impairment itself.

To evaluate the impact of impairments on triathlon, classifiers assess all functional body structures through a physical and technical assessment using a point system and a weighing factor for each discipline of the sport (swimming, cycling and running). The total score determines the athlete’s sport class.

PT1 (Wheelchair user Para-triathletes) 

Para-triathletes in this class swim, cycle on a handbike and compete in a racing wheelchair for the run section. This class includes athletes with, but not limited to, impairments of muscle power, range of movement, limb deficiency such as unilateral or double leg amputation, spinal cord injuries resulting in paraplegia or tetraplegia, etc.

PT2-4 (Ambulant Para-triathletes) 

Para-triathletes in this sport class swim, cycle on a conventional bike with or without approved adaptations and run with or without the use of an approved prosthesis and/or supportive devices and can fall into 3 different sport classes. These sport classes include but are not limited to Para-triathletes with impairment of muscle power, range of movement, limb deficiency, hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis.

PT2 

This sport class includes athletes with a severe degree of activity limitation such as, but not limited to, unilateral above knee amputees, double below knee amputee, athletes with a significant combined upper and lower limb muscle power limitation or severe neurological impairment such as congenital hemiplegia, severe cerebral palsy, etc.

PT3

This sport class includes athletes with a moderate degree of activity limitation such as athletes with, but not limited to, a through the shoulder amputation, complete loss of range of motion in one arm, athletes with a moderate combined upper and lower limb loss of muscle power or moderate neurological impairments such as ataxia or athetosis.

PT4

This sport class includes athletes with a mild degree of activity limitation such as athletes with, but not limited to, a below the elbow arm amputation, below the knee amputation, partial loss of arm muscle power, lower limb deficiency or mild neurological impairments such as ataxia or athetosis.

PT5 athletes with visual impairment

Para-triathletes in this sport class swim, ride a tandem cycle and run with a guide and need only meet the criteria as set out in the B1 sport classes as described here. Therefore B1, B2 and B3 athletes compete together in one event.

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2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Powerlifting

Eligible impairment types: 

• Impaired muscle power
• Impaired passive range of movement
• Limb deficiency
• Leg length difference
• Athetosis
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia
• Short stature

Sport class

There is only one sport class in powerlifting, but the athletes compete in different weight categories just like their able-bodied counterparts in weightlifting.

Powerlifting is open to athletes with all eight eligible physical impairments. All athletes have an impairment in their lower limbs or hips, which would prohibit them from competing in able-bodied (standing) weightlifting. In Powerlifting, they therefore compete in bench press. Athletes with leg amputations above the ankle or stiffness of the knee joint would, for example, are eligible to compete.

Aside from classification, there are some sport-technical rules regarding safety that require the classifiers to also verify e.g. a safe grip of the lifting bar and the ability of the athlete to extend the upper limb in full. Failure to do so will lead to exclusion from the sport for safety reasons.

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2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Judo

Eligible impairment types: 

• Visual impairment

Sport classes

Judoka all have varying degrees of visual impairment ranging from the B1-B3 sport classes as described here. Therefore B1, B2 and B3 athletes compete together in one event.

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2. Paralympics
3. Classification
4. Para-canoe

Eligible impairment types: 

• Impaired muscle power
• Impaired passive range of movement
• Limb deficiency

Sport classes

Athletes compete in kayaks propelled by a double blade paddle. These athletes all have a physical impairment and are grouped into three sports classes.

KL1 

Athletes in this sports class have no or very limited trunk and no leg function.

KL2

Athletes in this sports class have partial trunk and leg function; they are able to sit upright in the kayak. Along with this, they will have limited leg movement during paddling.

KL3

Athletes in this sports class have trunk and partial leg function, they are able to sit with trunk in forward flexed position in the kayak and able to use at least one leg/prosthesis.

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3. Classification
4. Football seven-a-side

Eligible impairment types: 

• Athetosis
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia

Sport classes

As football seven-a-side is a team sport, athletes from different sport classes together make up a team. This is managed through sport-technical rules, explained below. Each athlete is allocated one of the following four sport classes:

FT5 

In this sport class, athletes have hypertonia in both lower limbs and to some degree in both upper limbs. The players have difficulties when running, turning and stopping because of an activity limitation in the lower limbs.

FT6

Athletes are affected by co-ordination and balance difficulties in all four limbs and trunk due to ataxia or athetosis. FT6 players typically have difficulties in dribbling the ball when running, accelerating and stopping.

FT7

This sport class is designated to hemiplegic players, meaning that only one side of their body is affected, causing the players to walk and run with a limp. The player has limited knee pick up when sprinting and also has an asymmetrical stride length. The player has difficulty pivoting and balancing on the impaired side and therefore often pivots on the unaffected side and may kick with the affected foot.

FT8

This sport class describes the minimum impairment eligible for football 7-a-side. These are athletes with minor degrees of activity limitation from any of the above classes. Therefore, you may not see the impact of the impairment when watching the athlete run or control the ball. However, involuntary muscle contractions and hesitation before explosive movements do constitute activity limitations in comparison to able-bodied players.

Sport technical rules 

In order to ensure a fair game between two teams, each team (seven players) has to have one FT5 or FT6 player on the field at all times and is not allowed to have more than one FT8 players on the field.