How can I become a Paralympic athlete?
If you are interested in competing as a Paralympic athlete, the best course of action would be to contact the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) in your country. You can find a list of NPCs and contact information here.

How can I find information on a specific sport?
Info about all sports on the Paralympic Summer and Winter Programme as well as info about the IPC sports can be found on the IPC website under the sports sections. You can also contact the respective Sport's Chairperson - the contact details can also be found in the specific sport's section under "Contact".

How can I become a referee or official during Paralympic Games?
There is a lot of training and expertise necessary before someone can work as an official at Paralympic Games level. If you are interested in becoming a referee or official, please contact your NPC or local sports club.

Where can I find the most current rankings and world records?
Current rankings and world records for several sports can be found on the IPC website under the sport section. These rankings are updated following all major competitions.
For most updated records and rankings you can also contact the Sports Organizations directly.

How can I find information about a specific athlete?
Provided you know the athlete's name and country he or she represented, you can contact their National Paralympic Committee (NPC). For athletes that competed in the Beijing Paralympics, please visit the Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

What is the appropriate way to report on persons with a disability?
A few general rules to remember when speaking, interviewing or socializing with a person or an athlete with a disability can be found in the Guidelines Reporting on Persons with a Disability.

I want to see the Paralympic Games - where can I find information on travel, accommodation and tickets?
All of the information that you need to go to the Paralympic Games is available on the website of the respective Organizing Committees. If you want information about the next Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, go to www.vancouver2010.com. Information on the London 2012 Paralympic Games can be found  at www.london2012.com and information about the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games can be found at www.sochi2014.com.  

Can you send me pins, pens and souvenirs from the Paralympic Games?
The best source for any type of Paralympic Games-related merchandise can be found on the websites of the Organizing Committees. If you are looking for souvenirs from past Paralympic Games, it would be best to contact a merchant dealing specifically with Paralympic memorabilia.

How can I volunteer for the Paralympic Games, World Championships and Regional Championships?
The best way to become a volunteer for the Paralympic Games, World Championships and Regional Championships is to contact the organizing committees of the competitions. For the Paralympic Games, go to  www.vancouver2010.com,  www.london2012.com or www.sochi2014.com. For World and Regional Championships, you can find a listing of events and contact information by accessing the sports calendar on this website.

What is the contact information for the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) in my country?
You can find the contact information for every NPC on this website here .

There is no National Paralympic Committee (NPC) in my country. How do I participate?
The current structure of Paralympic competition does not allow athletes to compete without having representation from a NPC.

What is classification? Can you explain the classification system?
Classification is simply a structure for competition. Not unlike wrestling, boxing and weightlifting, where athletes are categorized by weight classes, athletes with a disability are grouped in classes defined by the degree of function presented by the disability.

Traditionally there are athletes who belong to six different disability groups in the Paralympic Movement: amputee, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, spinal injury, intellectual disability and a group which includes all those that do not fit into the aforementioned groups (les autres).

Sport classes are determined by a variety of processes that may include a physical and technical assessment and observation in and out of competition. The classes are defined by each sport and form part of the sport rules. 

Classification is an ongoing process. When an athlete starts competing, they are allocated a sport class that may be reviewed throughout the athlete's career. Sports certify individuals to conduct the process of classification and these officials are known as classifiers.

For more information about classification, please take a look at the Classification Information Sheet.

What is the Paralympic Movement?
The Paralympic Movement encompasses all athletes and officials belonging to the NPCs, the IOSDs, the International Federations (IFs), the Regional Organizations (ROs), the IPC Regional Committees, the IOSD Sports, the IPC Sports Committees, IPC Councils, IPC Standing Committees, other IPC bodies and any other persons or organizations who agree to be guided by the IPC Constitution and Bylaws. The criteria for belonging to the Paralympic Movement is formal membership or recognition by the IPC.

What are the IPC sports?
There are currently 25 Paralympic sports. Nine of these sports (Alpine Skiing, Athletics, Biathlon, Cross-Country Skiing, Cycling, Ice Sledge Hockey, Powerlifting, Shooting, Swimming) are governed by the IPC, hence called IPC sports.

Seven sports are governed by International Organizations of Sport for the Disabled (IOSDs). Included in this group are the sports Boccia, Football 5-a-Side, Football 7-a-Side, Goalball, Judo, Wheelchair Fencing and Wheelchair Rugby.

The remaining sports (Equestrian, Rowing, Sailing, Volleyball, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Curling and Wheelchair Tennis) are governed by International Federations (IFs).

How can our organization apply a sport to be included in the Paralympic Programme?
Any sport that wishes to be considered for the Paralympic Games must apply at least seven years before the Paralympic Games in question. The Paralympic Programme is re-evaluated each quadrennium to ensure that each sport meets specific criteria in order to maintain elite standards. The criteria are based on the principles of quality, quantity and universality. Quality refers to the competitive quality of events and disciplines offered on a sport's quadrennial competition programme. Quantity refers to the number of nations widely practicing a sport at elite level. Universality refers to the number of regions a sport is widely practiced in. The specific criteria is outlined in the IPC Handbook.

The review process respects the autonomy of the different sports by evaluating them based on official results from competitions over the last quadrennium. This means that, for instance, a sport aiming to be on the 2008 Paralympic Summer Games would be evaluated based on results and data between the 2000 and the 2004 Paralympic Games. The sports programme for the 2008 Games is thus determined at the 2004 Games, i.e. four years in advance. Queries on application procedures and requirements can be directed to the Sports Department at the IPC Headquarters.

Why are certain sports not a Paralympic Sport, or why aren't certain sports on the Paralympic Sport Programme?
The criteria established for the determination of sports, disciplines and events looks to achieve a programme that reflects diversity and the highest standards of athletic excellence whilst guaranteeing regional access for qualification and elite opportunities for all athletes, especially women and athletes with severe disabilities. Only events that meet the standards within the timeline established are considered for inclusion on the Paralympic Games Programme. Visit the IPC Handbook for details.

What is doping and who performs the test?
At the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, 1155 doping tests have been executed prior and during competitions using the same equipment, laboratory and standards as the Olympics. The IPC signed the World Anti-Doping Code in March 2003 and has since then revised the IPC Anti-Doping Code to comply with the World Anti-Doping Agency's standards and code.

Could you provide me the history of the Paralympics with regards to the number of nations, athletes, etc?
You can find information about all of the past Paralympic Summer and Winter Games on the IPC Website.

Where can I find the most current competition rules and regulations?
You can find all of the rules for each of the Paralympic sports under the sport sections of the IPC website.

Why are the Paralympic Games not run in conjunction with the Olympic Games?
The Paralympic Games are the second largest sporting event in the world. Nearly four thousand athletes participated at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. Considering the staff, volunteers, accommodation, transportation and overall scheduling that would be need to host such an event, it would be nearly impossible for one city to host both the Olympic and Paralympic Games simultaneously. Under the agreement between the IOC and IPC, it was determined that the Paralympic Games will always take place following the Olympic Games in the same host city. More information can be found in the  IOC-IPC Co-operation.

How do I subscribe to the Paralympian?
If you want to receive our quarterly newsletter, the Paralympian delivered to you via postal mail or e-Mail, please use the subscription form on IPC website.

What does the IPC symbol represent?
The IPC is an organization taking huge steps forward - growing, changing, adapting and achieving - like the athletes we represent. The new IPC symbol embodies this direction. It is a symbol that is in motion, with three Agitos (from Latin: I move) encircling a centre point; emphasizing the role that the IPC has of bringing athletes from all corners of the world together and enabling them to compete, and also emphasizing the fact that Paralympic athletes are constantly inspiring and exciting the world with their performances - always moving forward and never giving up. The Spirit of every Paralympic athlete is uncompromising - every day exceeding what others had thought was possible by pushing themselves to the their limits. With Spirit in Motion, the IPC has captured what the Paralympic Movement is trying to achieve. Enabling athletes from all backgrounds to unite on a single stage, inspiring and exciting the world with their performances.

How is the IPC funded?
As a non-profit organization, IPC relies on private and corporate donors, sponsors and membership fees. Anyone interested in contributing to the IPC and the Paralympic Movement should contact the IPC Management Team.

How are the Paralympic Games different from the Special Olympics?
The Paralympics and the Special Olympics are similar in that they both focus on sport for athletes with a disability and are run by international non-profit organizations. Apart from that, the Paralympics and the Special Olympics differ in three main areas: 1) the disability categories of the athletes that they work with, 2) the criteria under which athletes participate, and 3) the structure of their respective organizations. The Paralympics, as the largest sports competition for athletes with a disability worldwide, involve athletes from several disability categories. The six main disability categories are: amputee, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability (currently under suspension), visually impaired, spinal injuries and Les Autres (French for "the others", a category that includes conditions that do not fall into the categories mentioned before). In contrast, the Special Olympics are solely for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

To participate in the Paralympic Games, athletes have to fulfil certain criteria and meet certain qualifying standards in order to be eligible. These criteria and standards are sports-specific and are determined by the IPC Sports Chairpersons, the Sports Technical Delegates and the relevant international sports organizations. The Paralympics are about elite performance sport, where athletes go through a stringent qualification process so that the best can compete at the Games. On the other hand, the Special Olympics does not make as clear a distinction between elite and recreational sport as the Paralympics. No qualifying events are held and there is instead a system of random selection of participants for the Special Olympics. Thus, while the Paralympics emphasizes high-level performance, the Special Olympics emphasizes participation from those who can and will.

The Paralympics are run by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). As the international representative organization of sport for athletes with a disability, the IPC comprises elected representatives from around the world. The General Assembly, its highest decision-making body, includes around 160 member nations, represented through their National Paralympic Committees, and five disability-specific organizations. The Special Olympics are run by Special Olympics International (SOI). SOI has established national foundations around the world, which are financed mainly through charity.