How to Qualify for Paralympics: Your Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Have the thought of playing at the Paralympics ever occurred to you? How to be eligible to participate in Paralympics and what skills are required to be there? You are at the right place!
This guide decomposes all the process, including what disabilities allow one to be in Paralympics to the vital classification system and the way to train. Either you are a first-time user or you are eager to learn, keep on reading this article to know the necessities to request the initial move toward becoming a Paralympian.
- What are the disabilities that can be considered at Paralympics?
- What are the 6 category of Disabilities in Paralympics?
- What are the three steps in classification Paralympics?
- Swimming Disability Classifications Disability in Paralympic Swimming
- Is Autism Eligible to be in Paralympics?
- Step-by-Step Guide on How to Start Your Journey
- Final Thoughts
What are the disabilities that can be considered at Paralympics?
To qualify to represent a team in Paralympics, then a player should bear at least one of the ten impairments accepted by international paralympics committee (IPC).
These disabilities are:
1. The diseased muscle power
2. Restricted passive ROM
3. Limb deficiency
4. Leg length inequality
5. Short stature
6. Hypertonia (it is an increase of pressure on the muscles)
7. Loss of coordination (Ataxia)
8. Involuntary motions (athetosis)
9. Vision impairment
10. Intellectual impairment
Owning one of these might make you qualified to compete but is autism a paralympics one? This question has a nuance in its answer. autism by itself is not at present a valid impairment with regard to the IPC regulations except in cases where the individual also has an intellectual impairment which fulfills the particular specifications. Read further on official classification guide put forward by IPC.
What are the 6 category of Disabilities in Paralympics?
Practically the Paralympic movement conditions impairments into wider categories which are commonly referred to as disability groups, in the effort to categorize sports and contention
fairly. The six key groups that are generally cited include:
- Deficiency of limbs (Amputation)
- Other neurological disorders (cerebral palsy and other neurological diseases) may include a combination of hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis.
- Wheelchair athletes, or athletes who participate in wheel chair due to any impairments
- Visual impairment
- Intellectual impairment
- Les autres (French for the others) a general term representing the other eligible impairments not discussed in the above category, such as short stature or leg length difference
Understanding your group will assist you in knowing the sports you may suit in best. This is further explainable in the IPC classification page.
What are the three steps in classification Paralympics?
The mechanism of classification is very important to an aspiring Paralympian. The Paralympics steps to classification are the following:
- Medical Documentation and Review: prove that you are impaired conveying medical exerts to your sport International Federation (IF).
- Technical and Physical Examination: These tests are taken by trained classifiers, and they determine the impact of the impairment on the abilities that are sport-specific.
- Competition Observation: In some instances, the classifiers observe competition activity to ensure the correct classification has been done before a final sport class is given.
The classification promotes equal competition as athletes can be put in the same level of their ability. Find out more about this here in the Paralympic classification overview.
Swimming Disability Classifications Disability in Paralympic Swimming
This sport is competitive and inclusive, and one of the rare sports, where athletes with all of the possible eligible impairments may participate.
A combination of letter and number codes known as Paralympics classification splits swimming classes. For example:
- S1 to S10: Physical impairments (the lower the number the more restricted the activity)
- S11 S13: Eye diseases
- S14: Mental retardation
Individual swims and events could be categorized a little differently, denoted by S (freestyle, backstroke, butterfly) S B (breaststroke) and S M (individual medley). A more precise rule and codes can be downloaded with the official Paralympics pdf of classification codes.
Team Qualification to Paralympic Games
After the classification, the process of qualification to the Paralympics Games starts by participation in the certified qualifications:
- World Championships
- Zonal or Regional Body Championships
- IF-sanctioned qualifiers
- Meeting Minimum Qualification Standard (MQS)
- Having a place on World or Regional Ranking Lists
The qualification procedures used in each of the sports are elaborated by the International Federation in each sport according to performance and ranking. To illustrate the point, a Para swimmer must also have certain time standards, whereas the player of wheelchair basketball has to be chosen by his/her national team.
Is Autism Eligible to be in Paralympics?
As stated above, autism is not an automatic qualifier, though, except when the athlete has an intellectual impairment that is manifested in adaptive functioning before age 18. In case you or another person you know has autism but with intellectual impairment, a full assessment of classification can be done to know the qualification.
Further details about the impairment of intellectual functioning and its categorization can be read on the IPC intellectual impairment page.
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Start Your Journey
Are you hyped up, and are you eager to begin your career? Here is the step-by-step guide on the process of qualifying at Paralympics:
- Try something local: Go to your town to find out about local sports such as disability sport clubs (Parafed) or local golf, soccer, or other sports or clubs.
- Get Classified: Take national classification and determine whether you are eligible and what sport class you are.
- Enroll in Development Programs: Work with coaches that know Para sport and begin to compete in sanctioned events.
- International Classification: Once you are well prepared, apply to be classified internationally to participate in leading competitions.
- Beat and Enjoy: Take part in qualifying competitions and make a bid to achieve performance standards or ranking.
- The selection of athletes by the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) will commence on the basis of preparedness and qualification.
Final Thoughts
The question on how to qualify to Paralympics might seem vast to answer, but with a first step towards the destination and correct support as well as perseverance, it can be accomplished with ease. No matter what sport it is you are interested in, Para swimming, athletics and so on keep in mind that life is a journey and not the destination.
FAQs
What are the six disability groups in the Paralympics?
For the sake of fair competitions, the IPC classifies the athletes into six major activity classes:
Trauma or limb loss
1. Brain injury or cerebral palsy etc.
2. Cerebral palsy or similar brain conditions
3. Wheelchair users (from different causes)
4. Visual impairment
5. Intellectual impairment
6. Les autres (French for “the others”) – this includes short stature, leg length difference, or other eligible impairments
Para sports athletes are selected to compete by these groups that make the rules.
What are the 3 steps for Paralympics classification?
Getting the right Paralympic classification is a big step. The three steps for classification are:
1. Medical evidences: Submit the reports of your doctor to the governing body of your sport claiming your relevant disability that qualifies you to get the benefits.
2. Physical and Technical Assessment: Professionals evaluate how your impairment impacts on your sporting performance.
3. Competition Observation: Tables may be present during a competition to ensure that the class fits you.
This system ensures that the games are fair since it takes those of the same ability level to the same group.
What are Paralympic disability classifications in swimming?
Para swimming is accessible by any disabilities, and it has special codes to allow competitions.Here’s how it works:
1. S1–S10: For physical impairments (S1 is the most severe)
2. S11–S13: For vision impairments (S11 swimmers are totally blind)
3. S14: For intellectual impairments
Letters show the type of swimming:
1. S = freestyle, butterfly, backstroke
2. SB = breaststroke
3. SM = individual medley
Thus, a para-athlete may be S9 with SB8 and SM9 – depending on the severity of the disability on different strokes.
How do I qualify for the Paralympic Games?
To compete in the Paralympics, a sportsman should:
1. Be classified officially
2. Compete in qualifying events like:
3. World Championships
4. Regional or Zonal Championships
5. IF-approved events
6. Meet Minimum Qualification Standards (MQS)
7. Rank on national or international ranking lists
8. Be chosen by their National Paralympic Committee (NPC)
Each Para sport has its own rules. For example, Para swimmers must meet a time, while wheelchair basketball players must make their national team.
What disabilities qualify for the Paralympics?
In order to participate in the Paralympics an athlete must be affected by one of the 10 eligible impairments accredited by International Paralympic Committee (IPC). These include:
1. Impaired muscle power
2. Impaired passive range of movement
3. Limb deficiency
4. Leg length difference
5. Short stature
6. Hypertonia (Stiffness, or tight muscles)
7. Ataxia (poor balance or even coordination)
8. Thetosis (loss of control of movements)
9. Vision impairment
10. Intellectual impairment
Autism alone is not a qualified impairment unless combined to another intellectual impairment that matches IPC requirements. This implies that individual should experience trouble learning and performing daily tasks before the age of 18.
Pingback: Mental Preparation for Paralympic Athletes
That’s great! I really appreciate that you created this guide in a simple, step-by-step way. It will make learning and practicing mental preparation much easier for everyone.