CLASSIFICATION INFORMATION FOR NATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEES

FOR ALL IMPAIRMENT GROUPS

International classification status may be granted if the following criteria are fulfilled:

• The competition is approved/sanctioned by IPC/World Para Swimming

• The competition has open entry or has established qualification criteria approved by World Para Swimming (i.e. Paralympic Games, World Championships, Regional Championships)

• All classifiers conducting classification(s) are appointed by World Para Swimming.

International classification is for elite level swimmers. To get classified an athlete has to

• be registered and licensed in the SDMS database

• be entered in minimum one 100m S event (freestyle, backstroke, butterfly) and 100m SB event (breaststroke) (swimmers with a physical impairment only)

• be entered in 200m freestyle or 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke (swimmers with an intellectual impairment only)

• be minimum 12 years old (for younger swimmers please contact the World Para Swimming office)

• be able to swim all four strokes (minimum 50m) with correct technique

• have national experience in swimming competitions.

NPCs requesting international classification for their swimmers with a physical impairment with classification status 'New' or 'Review' have to upload the Medical Diagnostics Form for Athletes with a Physical Impairment (below) with the relevant medical documentation in English (requested for all Physical Impairment swimmers regardless of their diagnosis) a minimum 6 weeks before the start of competition to the SDMS database.

NPCs requesting international classification for their swimmers with a vision impairment have to upload the Medical Diagnostics Form for Athletes with a Vision Impairment (below) a minimum of 4 weeks before the start of competition to the SDMS database.

NPCs requesting international classification for their swimmers with an intellectual impairment have to submit the TSAL-Q questionnaire (below) in accordance with the S14 classification rules and regulations, to World Para Swimming.

NPCs have to notify World Para Swimming a minimum of 6 weeks before the competition if they are sending their athletes with 'New', 'Review' or 'Review with Fixed Review Date' (of the current year) sport class status to a competition where international classification is offered.

NPCs requesting a classification review for their athletes with classification status 'Confirmed' or 'Review with Fixed Review Date' need to fill out the Medical Review Request Form (below) and send it at least 3 months in advance to IPC Swimming together with supportive medical documents. Requests without supportive documents can not be taken into consideration.

Opportunities for classification and the classification schedules can be found under Classification Opportunities.

Athletes that are found NE during classification can not compete in World Para Swimming recognised competitions at all.

At World Para Swimming competitions Intellectual Impaired athletes are only allowed to swim the Individual Medley once they have a classification status 'Confirmed' or 'Review' for both S and SB sport classes.

Forms for NPCs

Medical Diagnostics Form for Athletes with a Physical Impairment

Medical Diagnostics Form for Athletes with a Vision Impairment

TSAL-Q questionnaire for Athletes with an Intellectual Impairment

Medical Review Request Form - for athletes with 'C' and 'R' status

The fully completed forms need be uploaded to the SDMS and all classification queries can be send to World Para Swimming at i [email protected]

Forms for World Para Swimming Classifiers ONLY

Consent Form

Classification Form for Athletes with a Physical Impairment

Classification and Consent Form for Athletes with a Vision Impairment

Classification Form for Athletes with an Intellectual Impairment

Observation during competition