Hi All on the Athletics Committee

Please note that Post-London 2012, IPC Athletics are implementing the revised eligibility criteria which will be in force for all international events from this point forwards.

To find out in detail what this means, please refer to the IPC Classification Project for Physical Impairments Final report - Stage 1 updated 16 July 2010 (pdf) on www.paralympic.org/Athletics/Rules and Regulations/Classification (it is at the bottom of the page).  Appendix A: Changes at a glance provides a good overview

The current athletes that are affected by this are:

T and F 38: some of the very minimal CPs may no longer be eligible

T and F 40: dwarfs with achondroplasia have to meet revised eligibility criteria and for those who are eligible will fall into one of two possible classes, namely 40 and 41.

T and F 46: unilateral below elbow amputations will only be eligible for 100m, 200m and 400m events.

F45: new criteria for bilateral upper limb involvement (previously there was no throwing class for athletes with bilateral upper limb impairments

T54: athletes have to meet stipulated eligibility requirements i.t.o. limb deficiency or impaired passive range of movement or impaired muscle power

Please will the Athletics Committee send out a directive to the regions that all the athletes who fall in these classes will be subject to classification review to establish their current eligibility (I.e. post London 2012).

Regions also need to be urgently informed that athlete selection for the National Championships in 2013 should be based on the new eligibility criteria!

This means that it is imperative that classifiers in the regions form part of the selection committees in their regions to identify new and existing athletes who may be affected by the new eligibility criteria.  It also means that the regional classifiers need to be familiar and understand the revised eligibility criteria in the research report.

Please note that this information has been circulated at regular intervals from the IPC office in Bonn.  Classifiers at the last 2 national championships have been introduced to  the above research report.

I am willing to present a workshop on the revised eligibility criteria at any time – perhaps in conjunction with a National Sports Committee meeting or Council.  I propose also that there be a workshop for classifiers immediately before the National Championships 2013.  The regions would need to budget for this and send as many of their classifiers as possible.

Regards

Hilary Beeton

National Athletics Classification Convenor.