IPC look to centralise vision impairment classification services

There are 11 sports included on the Paralympic Games and Paralympic Winter Games sport programmes which offer competition opportunities for athletes with a vision impairment. Additionally, there are a number of other sports which offer competition opportunities for this athlete population outside of the Paralympic Games programme.

Currently, International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA), the IPC, and the respective international federations, are all involved in VI classification. However, this combined effort leads to unclear roles and responsibilities across different stakeholders, and sometimes results in duplicated efforts.

Tea Cisic, the IPC’s Head of Classification, said: “Following several years of discussions with international federations, the IPC will start to offer international federations a centralised vision impairment classification service from 2025 onwards, bringing benefits to international federations, classifiers and, most importantly, athletes.

“Unlike classification for physical and intellectual impairments which is very sport specific, classification for athletes with vision impairment is unique in that the classification process, including the assessment methods and classifier workforce, is harmonised across Para sports. This creates efficiencies and

opportunities to optimise the process.

“With the introduction of a new Classification Code from 2025, the start of new Paralympic cycle for summer sports, and ever improving technologies and methods, we believe now is the time to offer international federations a centralised approach where one organisation – which has capacity, knowledge and expertise - leads on the delivery of common services across sports.

“The new approach will pool resources to allow greater investment in the development and integrity of vision impairment classification systems. The result will be standardisation of assessments and a more athlete-centred approach.”

The IPC is committed to innovative ways of supporting its members and developing Para sport; this initiative represents one of those efforts in the core area of IPC’s business - classification. The IPC will regularly review the success of the centralised approach through feedback from stakeholders involved.