Tutorial Classification

The classification of Paralympic athletes is a defining feature of Para sport. It groups athletes into sport classes according to the degree their impairment affects fundamental motions within the respective sport or discipline. Sport specific class systems form the basis for fair and meaningful competition that additionally guarantee the attractiveness of Para sport.

The impairments eligible to take part:

In Para ice hockey, athletes propel themselves over the ice sitting in a kind of sledge. They have permanent, obvious impairments of the lower part of the body that lead to a limited range of movement of the lower limbs. The criteria of minimum impairment making normal ice skating or playing ice hockey impossible has to be fulfilled. Playing area, equipment and rules are the same as those for ice hockey for athletes without an impairment. To propel the adapted seated sledges and to play the game, players use two short sticks with a spike-end. Playing time is a little shorter, each period lasts 15 minutes.

The impairments eligible to take part:

In Para Alpine skiing, there are sport classes for standing, sitting and visually impaired athletes.

Standing classes

Impairments to the legs: LW1 to LW4
Impairments to the arms: LW5/7, LW6/8
Impairments to the arms and legs: LW9

Sitting classes

LW10, LW11, LW12

Visual impairment

B1 bis B3

Within the three sport class categories, a factoring system is used to make the performances as comparable as possible. The factor influences the time so that the clock runs correspondingly slower for athletes with severe impairments. A division into too many different sport classes is therefore avoided. In all three sport class categories, there are also the downhill, super-G, super combined, giant slalom and slalom disciplines. In the women’s and men’s events a total of 30 gold medals will be awarded (six per discipline and ten per category respectively).

The standing category is divided up into seven sport classes. Athletes with arm and/or leg amputations either compete on one ski with two outriggers (leg amputation) or with one or no poles respectively (arm amputation). Also possible is the use of a prosthesis on two skis (e.g. for athletes with below the knee amputations). In the sitting category, athletes ski down the slope on a seat with a suspension system mounted on a mono-ski and two short outriggers. Athletes with a visual impairment are accompanied by a guide who has to ski in front of the skier up to the last gate giving them verbal instructions or signals.

The impairments eligible to take part:

In Para Nordic skiing, there are sport classes for standing, sitting and visually impaired athletes.

Standing classes

Impairments to the legs: LW2 to LW4
Impairments to the arms: LW5/7, LW6, LW8
Impairments to the arms and legs: LW9

Sitting classes

LW10 bis LW12 (with 0.5 increments)

Visual impairments

B1 bis B3

Within these three categories, a percentage system is used to make the performances as comparable as possible. The various impairments are therefore converted into time. Consequently, a division into too many different sport classes is avoided. In both Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing, there are three different distances (short, middle and long) so that a total of 36 gold medals are awarded in the individual women’s and men’s competitions. There are also two relay events.

In the sitting category, athletes with severe impairments to their legs or wheelchair users compete in a special sit-ski. Another special feature is to be found in Para biathlon for visually impaired athletes as they use rifles equipped with electro-acoustic glasses. Wearing headphones, the biathletes aim by hearing – the higher the tone, the closer to the centre.

The impairments eligible to take part:

In Para snowboard, there are three Paralympic sport classes (SB LL1, SB LL2 and SB UL) depending on the impairment. Additionally, only men compete in the SB LL1 and SB UL sport classes at the Paralympic Games.

SB LL1 (nur Herren-Wettbewerbe):

(only men’s competitions): Snowboarders in this class have severe impairments to the functioning of one or two legs, like amputations above the ankles, muscle weekness or spasticity. This has an influence on the ability to keep the balance and control of the board on the slope. Athletes with amputations compete with a prosthesis.

SB LL2:

Snowboarders in the sport class SB LL2 have an impairment of one or two legs with a less severe impairment than athletes in the sport class LL1 such as, for instance, amputation below the knee or a mild spasticity.

SB UL (nur Herren-Wettbewerbe):

(only men’s competitions): Snowboarders in this class have impairments to the upper limbs which influence the ability to keep their balance.

Para snowboard was only introduced into the Paralympic programme in Sochi / Russia in 2014. There are two disciplines in Para snowboard: Banked Slalom and Boardercross. A total of eight – six men’s and two women’s – gold medal events are on the programme at the Paralympics in Beijing.

The impairments eligible to take part:

In wheelchair curling, athletes compete solely in a wheelchair. Common impairments are multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, cerebral palsy or amputations to both legs. In “chess on the ice”, precision and concentration are of utmost importance. There are hardly any differences to curling for people without impairments. The only exception is that the stone is not delivered directly with the hand but, due to the higher sitting position, using a delivery stick with an extender. There is additionally no sweeping. Another regulation: every team has to consist of at least one woman and at least one man.