IPC mourns the passing of classification expert Dr. Bolsinger
One of the leading experts in the classification of athletes with vision impairment, Dr Bolsinger served as a classifier at the Sydney 2000, Salt Lake City 2002, Athens 2004, Torino 2006 and Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games 06 Feb 2026
The International Paralympic Committee extends its heartfelt condolences on the passing of Dr Axel Bolsinger. One of the leading experts in the classification of athletes with vision impairment, Dr Bolsinger served as a classifier at the Sydney 2000, Salt Lake City 2002, Athens 2004, Torino 2006 and Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. In 2015, he received the Paralympic Order, the IPC’s highest accolade, for his "extraordinary and long-lasting services to the Paralympic Games and the Paralympic Movement."
An ophthalmologist by profession, Dr Bolsinger was Ophthalmologist Adviser and Classifier for the German National Paralympic Committee (NPC) between 1996 and 2011 where he developed the classification system for athletes with vision impairment in numerous Para sports.
Dr Bolsinger also served as Medical Director for the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Europe for nearly 10 years, where he supported and developed professional discussions and expertise, as well as organised international meetings and seminars for international vision impairment classifiers.
Worldwide, he worked in over 20 countries at more than 70 World and European Championships, World and European Cups as well as international championships for sports governed by the IPC and the IBSA.
IPC President Andrew Parsons said: “With the passing of Axel, we lose a longtime volunteer and friend of the Paralympic Movement.
“A strong advocate of fair-play in Para sports, Axel helped shape vision impairment classification and education, sharing his expertise far and wide, and helping train qualified personnel. His belief in the importance of scientific analysis and medical technical equipment in classification for athletes with vision impairment are the foundations of classification in vision impairment.”
A committed and passionate classifier, Dr Bolsinger initiated a fundraising campaign with LIONS International in 2003-04 to purchase equipment to classify athletes with vision impairments at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. This was the first time such equipment was ever used for vision impairment classification, thereby setting standards still followed today.
Dr Bolsinger also received the Cross of Merit on Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2007) and the Plaque of Honour of the National Paralympic Committee for Germany and the German Disabled Sports Association (2012).