World Archery changes classification rules

To participate in para-archery, athletes’ impairment must now have a direct and important impact on their archery performance. 08 Nov 2013
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2013 World Archery Para-Championships

The 2013 World Archery Para-Championships, taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, is the first major event for the sport on the road to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

ⒸWorld Archery
By World Archery

A number of athletes, some of whom may have won medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games or the last World Archery Para-Championships will no longer be eligible to compete internationally in para-archery competitions.

World Archery, in full agreement with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), has clearly stated that the Paralympic Games and World Archery Para-Championships should not be for anyone who has a physical impairment, but for those athletes with an impairment where the impairment has a direct and important impact on the archery performance.

As of 1 April next year, the classification rules will be changed to reflect this situation.

This means that a number of athletes, some of whom may have won medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games or the last World Archery Para-Championships will no longer be eligible to compete internationally in para-archery competitions.

However, all registered World Archery competitions are open to all athletes including those with a physical impairment who do not fulfill the new requirements. Any assistive device that is on their classification card can still be used in open competitions and the Judges and Member Associations will be clearly instructed in this way.

World Archery publicly states that at no time should any of these athletes be challenged in a negative way. They obeyed the rules and won their medals fairly as a result of hard work over many years. World Archery is proud of what they have done. It is simply a fact that the classification rules for para-archery have changed.