What sports are in the Paralympics and how does the classification system work?
PARIS — Being Paralympic Games that begin.
the follow-up act to Wednesday promise to offer.
the Paris Olympics is up their own fair.
no easy task, but share of memorable sporting.
the Paralympic Games that moments. This is an.
begin Wednesday promise to event that highlights the.
offer up their own human ability to overcome.
fair share of memorable hardships and disabilities, so.
sporting moments. This is the word “insurmountable” isnt.
an event that highlights one youre likely to.
the human ability to hear in Paris over.
overcome hardships and disabilities, the next two weeks.
so the word “insurmountable” as around 4,400 athletes.
isnt one youre likely with a wide range.
to hear in Paris of life-impacting impairments compete.
over the next two for medals in 549.
weeks as around 4,400 events across 22 sports..
athletes with a wide Heres a look at.
range of life-impacting impairments some of the other.
compete for medals in events that athletes will.
549 events across 22 be competing in at.
sports. Heres a look the Paralympics and how.
at some of the competitors are categorized based.
other events that athletes on their disability or.
will be competing in impairment. Which sports are.
at the Paralympics and in the Paralympics? Of.
how competitors are categorized the 22 Paralympic sports,.
based on their disability only two do not.
or impairment. Which sports have an Olympic equivalent.
are in the Paralympics? — goalball and boccia..
Goalball is played up at each end.. on an indoor court Teams of visually impaired. the size of a or blind players (wearing. volleyball court with goals eyeshades to ensure fairness). set up at each take turns rolling a. end. Teams of visually ball containing bells toward. impaired or blind players the opposing goal while. (wearing eyeshades to ensure the defending teams players. fairness) take turns rolling act as goalkeepers. In. a ball containing bells boccia, players throw or. toward the opposing goal roll leather balls as. while the defending teams close as they can. players act as goalkeepers.
to a small ball. dir="ltr">In boccia, players throw called a jack. Who. or roll leather balls can qualify to compete. as close as they at the Paralympics? To. can to a small compete at the Paralympics,. ball called a jack.
athletes must have “an. dir="ltr">Who can qualify to underlying health condition that. compete at the Paralympics?
leads to a permanent. dir="ltr">To compete at the eligible impairment,” the International. Paralympics, athletes must have Paralympic Committee says. Impairments. “an underlying health condition can be caused by. that leads to a the likes of cerebral. permanent eligible impairment,” the palsy, traumatic brain injury,. International Paralympic Committee says.
multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy,. dir="ltr">Impairments can be caused amputations, physical injuries or. by the likes of an intellectual impairment, blindness. cerebral palsy, traumatic brain or reduced sight. How. injury, multiple sclerosis, muscular are athletes classified? To. dystrophy, amputations, physical injuries ensure fair competition between. or an intellectual impairment, Paralympians, athletes are grouped. blindness or reduced sight.
by how limited they. dir="ltr">How are athletes classified?
are by their impairment. dir="ltr">To ensure fair competition — in other words,. between Paralympians, athletes are how much of an. grouped by how limited effect it has on. they are by their their ability to compete. impairment — in other in their chosen sport.. words, how much of The classifications aim to. an effect it has ensure that every competitor. on their ability to has a fair chance. compete in their chosen to win and that. sport.
The classifications aim “sporting excellence determines which. to ensure that every athlete or team is. competitor has a fair ultimately victorious,” the International. chance to win and Paralympic Committee says. Assessment. that “sporting excellence determines and sports classes All. which athlete or team Paralympians undergo an assessment. is ultimately victorious,” the by a panel of. International Paralympic Committee says.
experts to determine which. dir="ltr">Assessment and sports classes
sports class they should. dir="ltr">All Paralympians undergo an compete in based on. assessment by a panel the degree and nature. of experts to determine of their impairment. Each. which sports class they sport has its own. should compete in based criteria for how to. on the degree and assess the eligibility of. nature of their impairment. competitors. Some, like para. Each sport has its powerlifting, only have one. own criteria for how sports class. Para athletics,. to assess the eligibility which is open to. of competitors. Some, like athletes with any impairment,. para powerlifting, only have has more than 50. one sports class. Para sports classes. The classification. athletics, which is open system focuses on grouping. to athletes with any together athletes with similar. impairment, has more than functional abilities rather than. 50 sports classes.
The similar disabilities, so athletes. classification system focuses on with different impairments can. grouping together athletes with compete against each other. similar functional abilities rather if they are allocated. than similar disabilities, so to the same sports. athletes with different impairments class. Paralympic Games that. can compete against each begin Wednesday promise to. other if they are offer up their own. allocated to the same fair share of memorable. sports class.
sporting moments. This is.
