•Suspending the IPC’s zero
classification policy is a one-off to address the challenges some sports are
facing to classify all athletes before the Games
•The IPC is working to ensure that no
prospective Tokyo 2020 athlete misses out on competing due to the lack of
access to classification opportunities
•The IFs and NPCs are urged to do
everything they can to ensure athletes are classified in the lead up to the
Games
Following extensive consultation with
International Federations and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the
International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board has temporarily set
aside its ‘zero classification policy’ at Paralympic Games for Tokyo 2020 and
will now allow 10 Para sports to operationally prepare for conducting
classification in the host city ahead of this summer’s Paralympic Games.
The decision was based on the
currently identified athlete numbers who have to be classified as well as the
feasibility to provide sufficient classification opportunities between now and
the Games. It aims to ensure that no
Tokyo 2020 athlete misses out on competing at the Games due to the lack of
access to classification opportunities.
Each IF has identified the maximum
number of Tokyo 2020 prospective athletes due to undergo classification between
now and the Games across all Para sports. The National Paralympic Committees
(NPCs) are asked to ensure, where possible, that the majority of their athletes
are classified prior to the Games at the increasing number of competitions that
are now taking place around the world. The IPC aims to confirm the number of
athletes to be classified in Tokyo immediately prior to the Games.
Classification is a unique
cornerstone of the Paralympic Movement and performs two critical functions: it
determines which Para athletes are eligible to compete in a sport; and it
groups athletes into sport classes that aim to ensure that the impact of
impairment is minimised and sporting excellence determines which athlete or
team is ultimately victorious.
Andrew Parsons, IPC President, said:
“Ensuring that athletes are classified prior to competing at the Tokyo 2020
Paralympic Games is crucial to safeguarding the integrity and credibility of
the competition. I would like to thank
Tokyo 2020 for their flexibility in working with us to find a solution to the
issue we face.
“Since the pandemic began, our
Classification department has worked tirelessly with the International
Federations to provide safe and secure classification. The reality is that for
many sports classification and competition opportunities remain limited, while
for others the disruption caused by the pandemic has had a significant impact
on athletes’ ability to attend classification before the Games.
“This decision to provide
classification opportunities at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games has not been
taken lightly by the IPC, bearing in mind the potential impact on athletes who
may change class or be found non-eligible at such a late stage. However, the pros outweigh the cons in this
matter, and we believe this decision will be welcomed by the athlete community,
NPCs and International Federations relieving some of the pressure they face.
“With less than 150 days to go until
the Games, I strongly encourage NPCs to ensure they do everything they can to
still get their athletes classified ahead of the Games as the number of
athletes who will be able to be classified in Tokyo will be limited.”
The IPC, the International
Federations and Tokyo 2020, are now working on operational planning for
classification activities in Tokyo for the following 10 Para sports: athletics,
boccia, canoe, cycling (track and road), judo, rowing, sitting volleyball,
swimming, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.
These 10 sports either have a
potentially larger pool of athletes requiring classification before the Games
or have a limited ability to schedule classification opportunities due to
various reasons related to the pandemic.
What this means is that there may be
a possibility for athletes in these sports to be classified at the Games in
Tokyo. Final decisions on what classification opportunities will be made
available in Tokyo will be confirmed in the coming months, although the number
of slots available is expected to be limited. This is so the IPC and the
International Federations can assess what classification opportunities take
place as scheduled or are subject to further postponement or cancellation.
For the remaining 12 sports on the
Games programme, the IPC, in consultation with the respective International
Federations, has decided not to look at creating classification opportunities
in Tokyo. This is either because no athletes on the Tokyo pathway requiring
classification were identified, or because if they do, plans have been put in
place to ensure these athletes attend a classification opportunity before
coming to Tokyo.
The IPC remains committed to
maximising access to athlete classification opportunities in the lead-up to
Tokyo and thereby minimise the Games-time classification activities. The
International Federations governing the 22 sports on the Games programme are
making every effort to ensure classification and competition opportunities
resume between now and August, and various contingency options have been
prepared by each IF to ensure this happens.
The ‘zero classification policy’ was
first introduced in 2014 as a strategic decision to minimise Games-time
classification to reduce the impact of any last-minute classification decisions
on athletes’ preparation for the pinnacle event of their career and to reduce
its operational impact on the Games and the competition schedule.
This is a one-off measure for the
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and the zero classification policy is envisaged to
remain in place for future Games. The zero classification policy for the
Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games remains in place.
The original Tokyo 2020 Paralympic
Games Qualification Regulations were developed based on ‘zero classification’.
To be eligible, each athlete was required to undergo classification before the
Games and hold a sport class status of either “Confirmed” or “Fixed Review Date
later than 31 December 2020”.
Following the Games postponement,
athletes are now required to hold a sport class status “Confirmed” or “Fixed
Review Date later than 31 December 2021” in order to be eligible for the Games.
As of July 2020, all 22 sports on the Games programme have published their
revised qualification regulations and include the above revised athlete
eligibility criteria. This change significantly increases the pool of athletes
requiring classification prior to Tokyo 2020.
PHOTO GETTY IMAGES
Philip Dorward, IPC Head of
Communications
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