Athletes with the following disabilities participate in the sports played at the Paralympic Games. To create fair competition, classification takes place to ensure that athletes with similar function and abilities compete against each other. This includes defining which sports are offered to the various disability groups.
| Amputee | Spinal Cord | Cerebral Palsy | Visual Impairment | Les Autres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Persons with at least one major joint or limb missing. This may be congenital, from birth, or acquired due to illness or injury. |
Person with impaired function in the lower limbs and all or part of the trunk (Paraplegia) if the injury is higher or in the neck area of the spine (Quadriplegia), or, where the upper limbs also are impaired (Tetraplegia). Persons with medical conditions that result in similar loss of muscle function (eg, spina bifida and Poliomyelitis) are also included in this group of athletes with spinal injury. |
Cerebral palsy is a condition in which muscle tone, reflexes, posture, or movement are affected. This condition may be present from birth or acquired as a result of a stroke or head injury. |
Persons with any condition that impacts vision from reduced visual field or visual acuity to full blindness. |
“Les Autres” is French for “the others.” This group includes persons with physical disabilities that do not fall into the other classification categories. |
|
Archery Athletics* Boccia Cycling Equestrian Fencing Powerlifting Rowing Sailing Shooting** Swimming Table Tennis Volleyball Wheelchair basketball Wheelchair rugby Wheelchair tennis Biathlon Cross-country skiing Para- Alpine skiing Sledge hockey Wheelchair curling** |
Archery Athletics* Boccia Cycling Equestrian Fencing Powerlifting Rowing Sailing Shooting** Swimming Table Tennis Volleyball Wheelchair basketball Wheelchair rugby Wheelchair tennis Biathlon Cross-country skiing Para-Alpine skiing Sledge hockey Wheelchair curling** |
5-a-side and 7-a-side Football Archery Athletics* Boccia Cycling Equestrian Fencing Powerlifting Rowing Sailing Shooting** Swimming Table Tennis Wheelchair basketball Wheelchair rugby Wheelchair tennis Volleyball Biathlon Cross-country skiing Para- Alpine skiing Sledge hockey Wheelchair curling** |
5-a-side and 7-a-side Football Athletics* Cycling Equestrian Goalball Judo Rowing Sailing Swimming Table Tennis Biathlon Cross-country skiing Para- Alpine skiing Sledge hockey Wheelchair curling** |
Archery Athletics* Boccia Rowing Sailing Shooting** Swimming Table Tennis Wheelchair basketball Wheelchair rugby Wheelchair tennis Volleyball Biathlon Cross-country skiing Para- Alpine Skiing Sledge hockey Wheelchair curling** |
* Not all events are offered to all disability classes.
**The eligibility requirement is a permanent, substantial or total loss of function in one or both legs.
