A guide to Paralympic sports

Paralympics Paralympics
>
Paralympics
A guide to Paralympic sports
want to
Get into
sport ?

You’re not
the onlY one
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
01. True sTories
The first section outlines some
inspirational real life stories of
people already participating
in disability sport
02. Find your sporT
In this section use the table
that best describes your disability
and select the Paralympic sports
you are eligible for
03. sporT in deTail
Once you have your list of sports,
use the Sports Information section
to find out more about these sports
and whether they appeal to you

The aim of this publication is to inform people
about Paralympic sports. It is hoped that this
information will help to guide individuals with
disabilities to sports they are eligible for based
on the nature of their disability.
CONTENTS
Follow a pathway into Paralympic sports
02 True stories
05 Find your sport
06 Tables
12 Sport in detail
13 Alpine skiing & Archery
14 Athletics & Basketball
15 Boccia & Curling
16 Cycling & Equestrian
17 Fencing & Football
18 Goalball & Sledge hockey
19 Judo & Nordic skiing
20 Powerlifting & Rowing
21 Rugby & Sailing
22 Shooting & Swimming
23 Table tennis & Tennis
24 Volleyball & Further links
| 01
>

01. true stories.
read about our athletes’
incredible stories and
be inspired
At only 17, visually impaired sprinter Libby
Clegg is aiming for her first Paralympic Games
in Beijing. The talented teenager, who has a
deteriorating eye condition, burst onto the
international athletics scene winning silver
on her world championship debut in the T12
200m in 2006. She also narrowly missed
a second silver in the 100m, when it was
deemed that her guide runner had crossed
the line in front of her.
Libby, who finished 3rd in the BBC’s Young
Sports Personality of the Year in 2006, took
up sprinting at the age of 10 because she
found it allowed her to compete alongside
her fully-sighted counterparts.
Everyone has to start
somewhere
“It doesn’t matter how big or
small your goals are, don’t let
your disability stand in the way,
with a bit of determination you
will achieve.”
libby Clegg 17
sprinter

Multi-talented amputee athlete Jody Cundy
took up swimming when he was five years
old. He made an instant impact on the
Paralympic scene, winning gold at his first
Games in 1996, when he was just 18. A decade
later and three Paralympic Games under his
belt in swimming Jody announced he was
switching from the pool to the velodrome to
try his hand at cycling – having already won
gold and set a world record in the team sprint
at the 2006 Paralympic World Cup.
Months later he travelled to his first world
championships as a cyclist and was an
instant success winning gold and setting
a world record in the process.
“I got into disability sport when
I was 10. At the time I was
competing in able-bodied swimming
and a parent of a disability swimmer
told us about the Paralympics and
how to get involved. After that
I had a focus for my training and
since then I’ve been to three
Paralympic Games, multiple world,
and European championships and
have travelled to, and made friends
in, countries all over the world, at
the same time as doing something
I love and enjoy.”
Jody Cundy 29
cyclist
02 | 03
>

Twenty-nine year-old wheelchair rugby player
James Price had his life turned upside down
when he broke his neck in a diving accident
on holiday when he was 21. Prior to his
accident James led an active, fit lifestyle and
was training to become a fire-fighter, so was
determined his disability wasn’t going to stop
him doing sport.
James was introduced to wheelchair rugby
while in hospital and started regularly training
with a league side. He now has his sights
firmly set on Paralympic glory in London
in 2012 but has already represented GB
at the 2006 Wheelchair Rugby World
Championships, when the team finished 4th.
James works as Development Director
at Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby and
encourages others to take up the sport.
“After breaking my neck in 1999
I thought I had been left with few
options as to what I could do with
my life. I was very depressed and
it took me a while to get myself
going again. I was introduced to
wheelchair rugby in hospital and
I started to play. The little bit of
fitness and confidence that I was
getting from playing rugby every
week started to help me in my
everyday life and the more I started
to enjoy life again the more I enjoyed
rugby. The sport has given me
a life I never thought I could have.”
James price 29
wheelchair rugby player
Find out which Paralympic
sporting path is right for you

02. find your sport.
the followinG tables
will help You find a
sport to suit You
04 | 05
>

amputees
Key
L=Leg /A=Arm
=Male only
=Male and female
This is not intended to be a
definitive guide to Paralympic
sport and only an official
classifier can determine
eligibility within a sport.
alpine skiing
archery
athletics
Basketball
p13
p13
p14
p14
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Boccia
Curling
Cycling
equestrian
Fencing
p15
p15
p16
p16
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Football
Goalball
ice sledge hockey
Judo
p17
p17
p18
p18
p19
The sports suitable for a person with an amputation
will depend on the type of amputation and where
in the limb the amputation has occurred.
Lower limb Upper limb Lower & Upper limb
Single Double Single Double 1L+1A 2L+2A 2L+1A 1L+2A
nordic skiing p19 • • • • • • • •
powerlifting p20 • •
rowing p20 • • •
rugby
p21
sailing p21 • • • • • • • •
shooting p22 • • • • •
swimming p22 • • • • • • • •
Table tennis p23 • • • • • • • •
Tennis p23 • •
Volleyball p24 • •

spinal cord
injurY
Key
=Male only
=Male and female
This is not intended to be a
definitive guide to Paralympic
sport and only an official
classifier can determine
eligibility within a sport.
Spinal cord injury
Quadriplegic Paraplegic
caused by damage
to the spinal cord
at a high level.
the injury causes
a person to lose
either total or
partial use of the
arms and legs.
when the lower half
of a person’s body
is paralysed, usually
as the result of a
spinal cord injury
or a congenital
condition such
as spina bifida.
alpine skiing
archery
athletics
Basketball
p13
p13
p14
p14
•
•
Boccia
Curling
Cycling
equestrian
Fencing
p15
p15
p16
p16
p17
•
•
Football
p17
Goalball
p18
ice sledge hockey p18
Judo
nordic skiing
powerlifting
rowing
rugby
sailing
shooting
swimming
Table tennis
Tennis
Volleyball
p19
p19
p20
p20
p21
p21
p22
p22
p23
p23
p24
•
•
•
The level of a spinal cord injury determines
what sport an individual can do. There are two
main categories of spinal cord injury: paraplegic
and quadriplegic.
06 | 07
>

Visual
impairment
Key
=Male only
=Male and female
This is not intended to be a
definitive guide to Paralympic
sport and only an official
classifier can determine
eligibility within a sport.
alpine skiing p13 • • •
archery
athletics
p13
• • •
Basketball
Boccia
Curling
Cycling p16 • • •
equestrian • • •
Fencing
Football
Goalball p18 • • •
ice sledge hockey p18
Judo p19
nordic skiing p19
•
•
•
powerlifting
rowing
rugby
sailing
p20
p20
p21
p21
•
•
•
•
•
•
shooting
swimming
p22
p22 • • •
Table tennis
Tennis
Volleyball
p14
p14
p15
p15
p16
p17
p17
p23
p23
p24
Visual Impairment
B1 B2 B3
Inability to recognise
the form of a hand in
any direction or distance
Visually impaired athletes are usually split into
three categories, B1, B2 and B3 for competition.
B1 athletes have the least sight and are usually
completely blind while B3 athletes have the
most vision and are usually partially sighted.
Ability to recognise
shape of a hand to a
visual acuity of 2/60
and/or a visual field
of 2/60 up to 6/60 and/
or a visual field of
>5deg and

cerebral
palsY
Key
=Male and female
=Male only
=Male and female
within safety limits
=Male only
within safety limits
(control of involuntary
movements must be within
the sports’ safety limits)
This is not intended to be a
definitive guide to Paralympic
sport and only an official
classifier can determine
eligibility within a sport.
alpine skiing p13
• • • • • •
archery
athletics
Basketball
Boccia
Curling
Cycling
equestrian
p13
p14
p14
p15
p15
p16
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fencing
Football
Goalball
ice sledge hockey
Judo
p16
p17
p17
p18
p18
p19
Cerebral Palsy
CP1 CP2 CP3 CP4 CP5 CP6 CP7 CP8
Severe
quadriplegia
& spasticity
Quadriplegia,
severe to
moderate
spasticity,
some ability
to propel a
wheelchair
nordic skiing p19
• • • • • •
powerlifting
rowing
rugby
sailing
p20
p20
p21
p21
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
shooting
swimming
Table tennis
Tennis
Volleyball
p22
p22
p23
p23
p24
• • •
•
•
•
•
•
•
08 | 09
The classification system for athletes with cerebral
palsy is complicated and athletes are grouped
based on their functional ability. There are eight
groupings for athletes with cerebral palsy, with
1 being the most severely disabled and 8 being
the least.
Quadriplegic
or severe
hemiplegic,
wheelchair
user but
good upper
body strength
Moderate
to severe
spasticity,
usually uses
wheelchair
for sport
but can
stand/walk
Poor balance,
may need
assistive
device to walk
Involuntary
movement
in all four
limbs but
can walk/run,
good balance
Hemiplegic
standing
class
Minimal
impairment,
standing
class

les autres
Key
=Male and female
Les Autres
Les Autres is a French term, meaning ‘the others’
and is used to classify athletes whose disabilities
do not fit into one of the other four categories. This
category includes a range of conditions resulting
in locomotive disorders, such as dwarfism or
muscular dystrophy.
1–5 6–11 12/13 14/15 16 17/18/28
alpine skiing p13 • • • • •
archery p13 • • • • •
athletics p14 • • • • • •
Basketball p14 • •
Boccia p15 • •
Curling p15 • • • •
Cycling p16 • • • • •
equestrian p16 • • • • • •
Fencing p17 • • •
Football p17
•
Goalball
p18
ice sledge hockey p18 • • •
Judo
nordic skiing
powerlifting
rowing
rugby
sailing
shooting
swimming
Table tennis
Tennis
p19
p19
p20
p20
p21
p21
p22
p23
p23
p24
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Volleyball
p24

Key profile info 1-32
Select the profile here that best describes your disability
and then look up your sports in the table below.
Profile 1-5
Severe impairment
in all limbs & trunk,
often unable to
propel wheelchair.
Profile 6-11
Wheelchair users
able to propel
wheelchair.
Profiles 12-32
(able to walk)
Profile 12
Severe impairment
in all four limbs.
Profile 13
Severe impairment
in three limbs.
Profile 14
Severe impairment
on one side of body.
Key
=Male and female
alpine skiing p13 • • • • •
archery p13 • • • •
athletics p14 • • • • • • •
Basketball
Boccia
Curling
p14
p15
p15
p16
p16
p17
•
•
Football
p17
Goalball
p18
Cycling • • • • • •
equestrian • • • • • •
Fencing • • •
ice sledge hockey p18 • • • •
Judo
nordic skiing
powerlifting
rowing
rugby
sailing
shooting
swimming
Table tennis
Tennis
p19
p19
p20
p20
p21
p21
p22
p23
p23
p24
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Volleyball
Profile 15
Slight impairment
on one side of body.
Profile 16
Severe impairment
in one arm.
Profile 17
Severe impairment
in both lower limbs.
Profile 18
Severe impairment
in one leg, slight
impairment in other.
Profile 19
Severe impairment
in one leg.
Profile 20
Slight impairment
in both legs.
This is not intended to be a
definitive guide to Paralympic
sport and only an official
classifier can determine
eligibility within a sport.
p24
Profile 21
Severe impairment
in both upper limbs.
Profile 22
Slight impairment
in both upper limbs.
Profile 23
Slight impairment
in one lower limb.
Profile 24
Slight impairment
in one upper limb.
Profile 25
Restricted growth.
Profile 26
Slight impairment
in four limbs.
Profile 27
Severe impairment
in opposite limbs.
Les Autres
19/20/
23/24
Profile 28
Severe impairment
in both hips.
Profile 29
Severe impairment
in both shoulders.
Profile 30
Severe impairment
of trunk.
Profile 31
Severe impairment
in legs, slight
impairment in arms.
Profile 32
Severe impairment
in arms and slight
impairment in legs
21/22/29 25 26 27 30 31/32
10 | 11

03 sport in detail.
find out more about each
indiVidual sport here
>

Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is currently
practiced in 35 countries
around the world and is
a rapidly growing sport.
Skills and characteristics
Skill/technical
Anaerobic endurance
Agility
Power
Strength
Archery
An ancient sport of kings
and queens, more recently
made famous by Robin Hood
and ‘Lord of the Rings’,
archery has been part of
the Paralympic programme
since 1960. It is currently
practised in more than 37
countries worldwide.
Skills and characteristics
Psychological
Balance
Concentration
Strength
Imagine sliding down a snowy mountain
at speeds of around 80mph – that is what
alpine skiing is all about. The sport, which
has been included in the Paralympic
programme since the first Winter Games
in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, in 1976, is open
to male and female athletes with physical
disabilities and visual impairments.
A sport of accuracy, precision and concentration,
archery is open to male and female competitors
with a physical disability. While archery for
blind athletes is not currently included in the
Paralympic programme, the discipline is
growing in the UK.
Competitors are grouped into three classifications
for competition – one standing (ST) and two
wheelchair categories: wheelchair one (W1),
which includes athletes with a disability in all
four limbs and; wheelchair two (W2), where
archers have limited mobility in their lower limbs.
For more information about how to get started in Paralympic sport visit www.parasport.org.uk or call 0207 211 5272.
12 | 13
Alpine skiing events include downhill; a race
down a long steep hill with various gates that
are used as checkpoints, slalom; which comprises
two runs on separate days and a high number
of gates, giant slalom, like slalom but a longer
course with fewer gates, and the super
giant slalom; a speed event shorter than
the downhill but longer than the giant
slalom. It has a minimum of 35 direction
changes for men and 30 for women.
The equipment is adapted where necessary
for different disabilities. Athletes with limited
mobility may use a sit-ski, a specially fitted
chair on a single ski, leg amputees who ski
without prosthesis may use poles or outriggers.
These have short ski blades on the end and
help the skier with balance. Blind skiers
are guided through the course by sighted
skiers using voice signals to direct them.
At the Games archers shoot at a 122cm
target set at a distance of 70m. There are
qualifying rounds followed by an elimination
round, culminating in a final round of eight
archers. Paralympic disciplines comprise
compound or recurve bows and there is also
a separate individual and team competition
for men and women.

Athletics
Often considered the showcase
of the Paralympic Games,
people are drawn to athletics
to witness the speed of the
sprinter, the strength of the
thrower and the endurance
of the distance athlete.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Skill/technical
Anaerobic endurance
Coordination
Power
Speed
Strength
Flexibility
Basketball
One of the earliest Paralympic
sports, wheelchair basketball
was first developed as a means
of rehabilitation for injured
servicemen following the
Second World War. It is now
among the most well-known
Paralympic sports and is
played in over 80 countries
around the world by some
25,000 people.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Tactical
Skill/technical
Aerobic endurance
Anaerobic endurance
Agility
Coordination
Power
Speed
Strength
Athletics was an inaugural sport in the 1960
Paralympic Games in Rome having been
among the sports at the first wheelchair
games at Stoke Mandeville in 1948.
Originally only wheelchair disciplines were
included in the Games, however since the
1960s athletics for athletes with a disability
has grown enormously and now includes
more athletes and events than any other
sport at the Paralympics. One-hundred and
seven countries currently compete in athletics
at elite level.
Track events include all Olympic distances
(100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m,
10000m, marathon, 4 x 100m relay and 4 x
400m relay. Field comprises shot, discus,
javelin, club throwing (for severely disabled
athletes) pentathlon, long, high and triple
jump. Although all these events are contested
at Paralympic level some events are specific
to particular classifications.
The sport is also incredibly popular in the UK
where there is a thriving national league system
and over 1000 regular players.
Wheelchair basketball is open to men and
women with a physical disability and has a
classification system that categorises athletes
from 1 to 4.5 based on their functional ability.
Those players with 1 point are the most
severely disabled and those with 4.5 the least.
The combined points of a team’s players on
the court at any one time cannot exceed 14.
For more information about how to get started in Paralympic sport visit www.parasport.org.uk or call 0207 211 5272.
Athletics is open to men and women in all
disability groups and uses a functional
classification system that groups athletes
based on their ability. As a brief guide, field
athletes are referred to as F and track as T,
then 11–13 are visually impaired, F or T 31–38
are athletes with cerebral palsy, F40 are
dwarves, F or T 41–46 are amputee or les
autres, T51–54 are wheelchair track athletes
and F51–58 wheelchair field athletes.
Wheelchairs are considered sports equipment
in track and are specially designed for the
event as are throwing frames for those field
athletes with limited mobility. Specialised
prosthetic devices may be used by leg amputees
and visually impaired runners can use sighted
guides or callers.
Wheelchair basketball differs very little from
the able-bodied sport and is played on the
same sized court with the same height hoops.
An offensive player may not remain in the
key for more than three seconds without
attempting a shot and may not take more
than two pushes or touches of the wheels
without bouncing or passing the ball. All
international games last 40 minutes.

Boccia
Comparable to the French
sport of boules or petanque,
the aim of boccia is to throw
a set of coloured balls as
close to a jack as possible.
Skills and characteristics
Psychological
Tactical
Balance
Concentration
Curling
A sport of precision and
accuracy, wheelchair
curling made its Paralympic
debut at the Turin 2006
Winter Games when
Britain’s curlers won silver.
Skills and characteristics
Psychological
Skill/technical
Balance
Concentration
The sport, which was refined from an ancient
Greek game in Italy in the 16th century, was
created specifically for athletes with a severe
degree of physical disability and therefore has
no counterpart in the Olympic Games.
At the Paralympics men and women compete
together in team, pair and individual events
and are grouped in four classifications, BC1,
BC2, BC3 and BC4.
Curling is thought to have originated in
Scotland in the 16th century when people
would play the sport on frozen lochs and
ponds during the winter months.
Open to male and female athletes who are
not ambulant or who can only walk short
distances, the aim of wheelchair curling is
to slide a stone down a sheet of ice towards
a target – the house – and get as close to
the centre of the target as possible.
Each team will do its best to prevent the
other from achieving this aim by placing
a stone in the way or by knocking their
opponent’s stone out of the target area.
For more information about how to get started in Paralympic sport visit www.parasport.org.uk or call 0207 211 5272.
The only difference between wheelchair
curling and the able-bodied equivalent is
that sweeping – brushing the ice in front
of the stone to change its course – is not
part of the game.
14 | 15
BC1 comprises athletes with cerebral palsy
who are able to project the ball once it is
placed in their hand by an aide, while BC2
includes athletes with a less severe degree
of cerebral palsy and do not require an aide.
BC3 athletes have the most severe degree of
disability and cannot grasp or release the ball
and therefore play with the use of a technical
device, such as a ramp to project the ball and
an assistant. The final classification, BC4, is
for players who do not have cerebral palsy
but who are still severely disabled and these
athletes do not compete with an aide.
Boccia made its Paralympic Games debut
in New York in 1984 and is now practiced
at elite level in 42 countries worldwide.

Cycling
Speed, fitness and endurance
are all characteristics needed
for cycling, a sport that has
been included in the Paralympic
Games since Seoul in 1988.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Tactical
Aerobic endurance
Anaerobic endurance
Power
Speed
Strength
Equestrian
Although dressage is a
Paralympic sport, horse
riding is also a great
recreational activity that is
thought to help people with
a disability improve mobility
and coordination.
Skills and characteristics
Psychological
Skill/technical
Balance
Concentration
As with the Olympics the sport at the
Paralympic Games is split between the track
and the road. Track races at the velodrome
include 1km time trials, pursuits and team
and tandem sprints for specific classifications.
On the road, athletes compete in the road
race and time trial.
The classification for cycling is split into
four divisions for athletes with cerebral
palsy, CP1 to 4 with 1 being the most
severely disabled and 4 being the most
able. Visually impaired cyclists are all
classified together and compete on tandem
bicycles with a sighted-guide or pilot rider.
Dressage, which is currently the only equestrian
discipline included in the Paralympic Games,
was originally developed for battle as it allowed
soldiers to skilfully manoeuvre their mounts,
particularly in medieval times when heavy
armour was worn.
Although the discipline dates back around
2000 years, it was during a wider cultivation
of the arts in the 15th century that it developed
into a competitive activity and is now contested
at elite level across the globe, including in
around 40 nations at Paralympic level.
At the Paralympic Games the equestrian
competitions, which are open to men and
women with physical or visual impairments,
consist of both a traditional dressage event
and freestyle, or kur events, when the riders
perform a dressage test to music. There is
also a team event comprising of three or
four riders from different grades.
For more information about how to get started in Paralympic sport visit www.parasport.org.uk or call 0207 211 5272.
Amputee and les autres athletes are also
classified in four categories with LC1 for riders
with upper limb disabilities, LC2 for riders with
disabilities in one leg but who are able to
pedal normally, LC3 for riders with a disability
in one lower limb who will usually pedal with
one leg only and LC4 for riders with disabilities
affecting both legs or a combination of upper
and lower limbs.
Athletes who are wheelchair users and unable
to ride a standard bicycle or tricycle compete
using three-wheeled handcycles. These athletes
are classified into divisions HCA, HCB and
HCC, with HCA being the most severely disabled.
Cycling at elite level is currently contested by
over 40 countries but it’s a sport that many
take part in at recreational level just for fitness
or enjoyment.
The classification system puts riders into four
grades depending on the level of impairment.
Grade 1 incorporates severely disabled riders
with poor trunk balance or impairment of
balance in all four limbs. Grade 2 incorporates
riders with severe locomotive impairment
involving the trunk, with reasonable balance
and abdominal control or severe unilateral
impairment, grade 3 riders are mainly able
to walk without support, with moderate
unilateral impairment in four limbs or severe
arm impairment but this group also includes
athletes with a total loss of vision in both eyes.
Grade 4 comprises riders with impairment in
one or two limbs or some degree of
visual impairment.

Fencing
The sword is one of the oldest
weapons and has been used
since ancient times as a means
of settling disputes. Now a
sport, wheelchair fencing is
a blend of mental agility,
speed and tactics and has
been part of the Paralympic
programme since the first
Games in Rome in 1960.
Skills and characteristics
Tactical
Skill/technical
Aerobic endurance
Anaerobic endurance
Agility
Coordination
Flexibility
Speed
Football
Perhaps one of the world’s
best loved sports, football is
played by millions of people
across the globe whether
just in the local park or in
a national stadium.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Tactical
Skill/technical
Aerobic endurance
Anaerobic endurance
Agility
Coordination
Power
Speed
Strength
One of only two combat sports at the Games,
wheelchair fencing is open to men and women
with locomotive disabilities and is currently
practiced in 26 countries.
As the name suggests wheelchair fencing
must be contested from a wheelchair, which
is clamped into a metal frame holding the
competitors at a given distance.
At the moment only seven-a-side football
for athletes with cerebral palsy and five-a-side
football for athletes with a visual impairment
are included in the Paralympic programme.
There are however also national teams for
other disabilities including amputee football.
Seven-a-side football is open to ambulant
male athletes with cerebral palsy, who are
categorised depending on the severity of
their disability from 5 through to 8. The rules
are the same as in the able-bodied game
except that the pitch is slightly smaller, there
is no offside rule and throw-ins can only be
made using one hand. Matches are played in
two 30 minute halves with a 15 minute interval.
Five-a-side football is open to athletes with
a visual impairment. Although classification
is broken down into classes B1, B2 and B3,
with B1 athletes having the least vision, all
players with the exception of the goalkeeper,
wear “black-out” masks to ensure all
participants can compete equally.
For more information about how to get started in Paralympic sport visit www.parasport.org.uk or call 0207 211 5272.
16 | 17
Athletes are classified into three classes,
A – for athletes with full trunk movement
and good balance, B – for athletes with no leg
movement and impaired trunk and balance
functions and C – for athletes with a disability
in all four limbs. Class C is not included in the
Paralympic Games but is a medal event at
regional and world championships.
The competition comprises individual and
team events in foil, epee and sabre for men
and individual and team events in foil and
epee for women.
The goalkeeper for each five-a-side team is
usually fully-sighted and therefore is able to
shout instructions to the players. Along with
the goalkeeper there is an additional guide
behind the opposition’s goal who can give the
team instructions. A specially-designed ball
makes a noise when it moves, allowing the
players to track it.
As with the seven-a-side game, the field of
play is smaller than in able-bodied football
and there is no offside rule, however the
match is played in two halves of 25 minutes
with a 10 minute interval.

Goalball
Goalball is a team sport
unique to the Paralympic
Games. It has been
specifically developed
for athletes with a visual
impairment and therefore
has no Olympic equivalent.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Skill/technical
Agility
Coordination
Strength
Ice sledge
hockey
Ice sledge hockey is practised
in 10 countries with club teams
now established in Germany,
the Netherlands, Czech
Republic, Russia and Korea.
It became a Paralympic sport
in 1984 in Lillehammer, Norway.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Skill/technical
Aerobic endurance
Anaerobic endurance
Agility
Coordination
Power
Speed
Strength
The sport, which is currently played in around
70 countries, was created in 1946 as a means
of rehabilitating injured war veterans blinded
during the Second World War.
The object of the game, which is played by
teams of three, is to roll the ball past the
opposition defence and into the opponent’s goal.
The ball contains bells that enable the players
to locate it and as a result the game is usually
played in complete silence to allow the players
to concentrate on following the ball. Games
are played on a court of 18m x 9m, marked
out with tactile boundaries.
Fast, furious and aggressive ice sledge hockey
is, as the name suggests, the Paralympic
equivalent of ice hockey. The sport is played
using double-blade sledges, which allow the
puck to pass underneath and are propelled by
sticks with a spike in the one end and a blade
in the other end for shooting.
There is no classification system in the sport,
which is currently only open to male athletes,
but competitors must have a permanent
physical disability in the lower half of their body.
For more information about how to get started in Paralympic sport visit www.parasport.org.uk or call 0207 211 5272.
Players are allowed to defend the ball by
any means within specific areas of the court.
When thrown, the ball must touch the floor
to ensure defending players can locate the
ball and a throw must take place within 10
seconds of first contact.
The rules are similar to ice hockey with the
aim of the game being to propel a puck into
the opponent’s goal. There are six team-members
on the ice at any given time (including the net
minder) and the game is played over three,
15 minute stop-time periods.

Judo
Judo, which has been a
Paralympic sport since the
Seoul Games in 1988, is open
to male and female athletes
with a visual impairment.
Power, strength and agility
are all characteristics needed
to compete in judo – the
second of only two combative
sports at the Games, the
other being fencing.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Tactical
Skill/technical
Anaerobic endurance
Agility
Coordination
Flexibility
Power
Speed
Strength
Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing comprises cross
country skiing and biathlon
– skiing and shooting – and
has been, in one form or
another, included in the
Paralympic programme since
the inaugural Winter Games in
Örnsköldsvik, Sweden in 1976.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Psychological
Aerobic endurance
Anaerobic endurance
Concentration
Coordination
Strength
As with able-bodied judo, athletes – or judokas
– are classified by their weight. There are seven
men’s weight divisions ranging from -60kg
to +100kg and six women’s divisions from
-48kg to +70kg.
The only difference in visually impaired judo
compared with the able-bodied sport is that
visually impaired athletes are allowed to be
in contact at the beginning of the bout.
The discipline is open to athletes with a
physical disability or visual impairment
and athletes may compete on a sit-ski –
a specialised ski-chair – or with a guide
if visually impaired.
Cross country skiing involves skiing distances
from 2.5km to 20km, while the biathlon
events take place on a 2.5km loop, which
is repeated three times for the 7.5km event
or five times for the 12km event, with athletes
stopping for either two or four shooting
sessions along the course. Athletes fire five
shots at a target positioned at 10m and
visually impaired athletes use a laser to line
up their shots. The penalty for a missed shot
can be a time penalty that is added to the
athlete’s total time or a penalty ski loop.
For more information about how to get started in Paralympic sport visit www.parasport.org.uk or call 0207 211 5272.
18 | 19
Each contest lasts a maximum of five
minutes and to win the contest a judoka
must score an ippon, which equals 10 points,
by using a successful technique such as a
throw or a hold. If neither judoka has scored
an ippon by the end of the match, the one
that has accumulated the most points wins.
VI Judo is currently practiced in 30 countries
around the globe.

Powerlifting
The ultimate test of power
and strength, powerlifting –
similar to the Olympic sport
of weightlifting – is open to
male and female athletes
with a physical impairment.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Strength
Rowing
Whether just for the thrill
of getting out on the water
on a quiet morning or the
excitement of the race, rowing
is a sport that requires fitness,
commitment and discipline.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Aerobic endurance
Anaerobic endurance
Power
Strength
Powerlifting, which was originally called
weightlifting, has been a Paralympic sport
since the second Games in Tokyo in 1964 and
is now contested at elite level by 115 countries
by around 5000 ranked competitors.
In 2000 Paralympic powerlifting adopted the
same rules as the able-bodied sport. Athletes
compete lying on their backs in a supine
position on a specially designed bench. After
a signal from the chief referee, the athlete
lowers the bar to their chest in a controlled
manner, holds it immobile for a short period
and then evenly presses the bar back to the
starting position, holding it with locked elbows
until told to ‘rack’ the bar.
A new sport to the Paralympic programme –
making its Games’ debut in Beijing in 2008
– adaptive rowing is open to male and female
athletes with a physical or visual impairment.
There are four Paralympic boat classes
currently included in the Games’ programme
– men’s and women’s arms only single sculls
(AM1x or AW1x), trunk and arms mixed double
scull (TA2x) and legs, trunk and arms mixed
coxed four (LTA4+).
For more information about how to get started in Paralympic sport visit www.parasport.org.uk or call 0207 211 5272.
Competitors are classified into one of ten
categories, based on their weight. These
categories are from 48kg up to 100kg+ for
men and from 40kg up to 82.5kg+ for women.
The standard distance for adaptive rowing
races is 1000m and although there are some
adaptations to the boats to facilitate athletes
with a disability, the rules and regulations are
the same as for able-bodied rowing.
Rowing has a fully integrated world
championships held annually and there
is a developing national and international
racing programme, with currently around
24 countries participating at elite level.

Rugby
The subject of the 2005
film, ‘Murderball’, wheelchair
rugby is a fast, aggressive
team sport.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Tactical
Skill/technical
Aerobic endurance
Anaerobic endurance
Agility
Coordination
Power
Speed
Strength
Sailing
Sailing has been used as
a means of transport for
thousands of years but it
was in Holland around 400
years ago that it took off
as a leisure activity.
Skills and characteristics
Tactical
Skill/technical
Aerobic endurance
Anaerobic endurance
Concentration
Coordination
Flexibility
Strength
Wheelchair rugby was created in Canada in
the late 1970s as an alternative to wheelchair
basketball. The sport made its Paralympic
debut as a demonstration event at the Atlanta
1996 Games and is open to severely disabled
wheelchair athletes with leg, arm and hand
impairments. Men and women compete in the
same team although the game is currently
played primarily by men at an elite level.
Athletes are classified on a points system
with the most severely disabled athletes being
graded at 0.5 points rising to 3.5 for the
physically more able. The combined team
points on the court at any time cannot
exceed 8.
Sailing, which was first included in the
Paralympic Games as a demonstration event
in Atlanta in 1996, is open to male and female
athletes with a physical disability or visual
impairment. Fifty countries currently compete
in the sailing events at the Paralympic Games.
The sport has a classification system that
assigns points between 1, for those with the
lowest functional ability, and 7, for athletes
with the highest functional ability, allowing
different disability groups to compete
together by limiting the crew points in
a boat at any one time.
For more information about how to get started in Paralympic sport visit www.parasport.org.uk or call 0207 211 5272.
20 | 21
A team comprises four players and the object
of the game is to carry the ball across the
opposing team’s goal line. At least two wheels
must cross the line for the goal to count. The
ball may be carried on the lap, but it must
be passed or bounced at least once every
10 seconds.
Wheelchair rugby is a fast growing sport with
many clubs spread nationwide and a thriving
league system. It is currently practiced in 22
countries around the globe.
There are three boat classes at the
Paralympic Games – the single handed
Keelboat (2.4mR), the two person Keelboat
(SKUD18) and the three person Keelboat
(Sonar). A series of nine races is sailed,
weather permitting, and the final placings
are determined by the accumulation of points
scored in each race, with one race discarded
(the athlete’s worst result). The team that
scores the lowest points total is the winner.

Shooting
Precision, accuracy and a
steady hand are among the
attributes needed to take
part in shooting, which has
been part of the Paralympic
Games since Toronto in 1976.
Skills and characteristics
Psychological
Balance
Concentration
Swimming
An extremely physically
demanding sport, swimming
has been identified as one
of the best activities for
total body fitness, whether
you compete at elite level
or just for fun.
Skills and characteristics
Physical
Skill/technical
Aerobic endurance
Anaerobic endurance
Coordination
Flexibility
Power
Speed
Strength
Athletes are classified as either SH1, pistol
and rifle shooters who do not need a shooting
stand, or SH2, for competitors who have no
ability to support the weight of the firearm
and therefore require a shooting stand.
Men and women compete in air pistol, air rifle
and .22 rifle disciplines. There are 12 Paralympic
shooting events, six are mixed and three are
exclusive to women and three to men. Shooting
events differ as to the distance, the type of
target, the weapon, the shooting position,
number of shots and the time in which the
shots have to be fired.
Open to men and women in all disability groups,
swimming has been a Paralympic sport since
the inaugural Paralympics in 1960.
Swimmers are classified by their functional
ability in the water and therefore, with the
exception of visually impaired athletes,
all the disability groups compete alongside
one-another within one of 10 categories –
S1 to S10. Visually impaired swimmers are
classified from S11 to S13. Those with the
least vision being S11 and those with the
most sight being S13.
Depending on the degree of disability some
swimmers may be allowed to start the race in
the water rather than diving in, otherwise the
rules of disability swimming differ very little
from the able-bodied sport.
For more information about how to get started in Paralympic sport visit www.parasport.org.uk or call 0207 211 5272.
Each competition consists of a qualification
and a final round. The score in the final round
is added to the athlete’s qualification score
and the winner is the athlete with the most
points by the end of the competition.
Elite disability shooting is practiced in 51
countries the world over and there is a busy
world, European and open championship
schedule of competitions.
Visually impaired swimmers are allowed an
assistant, or tapper (also known as a bonker),
who will tap them on the head with a long,
padded pole to warn them that they are
approaching a turn or the end of a race.
The Paralympic programme encompasses all
strokes and distances up to 400m, including
relays and individual medley.
Swimming is practiced in more than 80
countries around the world. The GB team
is currently ranked No.1 in the world and has
been the most prolific sport for GB in terms
of medals at the last four Paralympic Games.

Table tennis
Table tennis was included in
the first Paralympic Games
in 1960 and is now played as
an elite sport in 104 countries.
Skills and characteristics
Tactical
Skill/technical
Aerobic endurance
Agility
Coordination
Speed
Coordination
Tennis
Wheelchair tennis originated
in the USA in the 1970s and
since then has grown in
popularity and status.
Skills and characteristics
Tactical
Skill/technical
Aerobic endurance
Agility
Coordination
Speed
Good hand-eye-coordination and quick
reaction are needed for table tennis, a sport
open to male and female athletes with
physical disabilities.
Wheelchair athletes are classified in categories
from 1 to 5, with 1 being the most severely
disabled and 5 the least. Classes 6 to 10 are
for ambulant athletes, with 6 for the more
severely impaired and 10 for the least.
Every game consists of five sets and the first
player to win three sets wins the match. The
Paralympic programme comprises individual
competitions for men and women and classby-class
team events, which are made up of
four singles and one doubles match.
The sport, which has been included in the
Paralympic Games since Barcelona in 1992,
is open to male and female athletes with a
physical impairment. The game is played
from a wheelchair with two classes, quad,
for athletes with a disability in more than
two limbs and open, for those affected in
two or less limbs.
There is a busy schedule of international
events for elite wheelchair tennis players and
a full range of tournaments at local, national
and international level – including an annual
men’s doubles tournament at Wimbledon.
There are currently 70 countries around
the world competing in wheelchair tennis.
For more information about how to get started in Paralympic sport visit www.parasport.org.uk or call 0207 211 5272.
22 | 23
The rules differ very little from the ablebodied
game, except that in the wheelchair
game the service must exit from the end of
the table, not from the side, and those with
an amputation or hand impairment do not
need to throw the ball up when serving.
The court size and rules are the same as in
the able-bodied game with the only exception
being that players are allowed two bounces
of the ball. Competition comprises men’s and
women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles,
mixed quad singles and mixed quad doubles.

Volleyball
Because the net is lower
and the court smaller sitting
volleyball, which is played
in 48 countries, is considerably
faster than the standing
game and therefore
requires quick reactions,
agility and power.
Skills and characteristics
Skill/technical
Aerobic endurance
Coordination
Power
Strength
Useful
websites
Sitting volleyball has been part of the
Paralympics since Arnhem in 1980 and
is open to male and female athletes with
a physical disability. Other than meeting
a minimum qualification criteria athletes
are not classified separately.
Teams are made up of six players and
each team is allowed three touches of
the ball before it should be returned.
At all times during play the player’s bottom
must be in contact with the ground but
athletes are allowed to kick or head the
ball if necessary.
The game consists of five sets and a set is
won by the first team to reach 25 points. In
the event of a 24-24 tie there must be a clear
two point lead over the opposing team to win.
ParalympicsGB
www.paralympics.org.uk/
Parasport
www.parasport.org.uk
English Federation of Disability Sport
www.efds.net/
Federation of Disability Sport Wales
www.disabilitysportwales.org
Disability Sport Northern Ireland
www.dsni.co.uk
Scottish Disability Sport
www.scottishdisabilitysport.com
International Paralympic Committee
www.paralympic.org
European Paralympic Committee
www.europaralympic.org
Cerebral Palsy International Sports Recreation Association
www.cpisra.org
International Blind Sports Association
www.ibsa.es/eng/
International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Association
www.wsw.org.uk

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NOTE:
This is not intended to be a definitive
guide to Paralympic sport and only
an official classifier can determine
eligibility within a sport.
For further information about
ParalympicsGB please contact us at:
020 7211 5222
info@paralympics.org.uk
www.paralympics.org.uk
This document can be provided in
alternative formats such as large print,
Braille, tape and on disk upon request.
Call ParalympicsGB on 020 7211 5222
for more details.
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