World Para Swimming to introduce revised classification rules and regulations from 2018

“The revised WPS Classification Rules, integrating valuable feedback received from the membership as well, are an essential step forward for the development of the sport. We trust the whole Para swimming community share this view."

World Para Swimming (WPS) has announced a revised version of the WPS Classification Rules will come into effect on 1 January 2018.

The revised rules and regulations result from extensive work done by the WPS Classification Advisory Group to revise the technical assessment component (“water test”) and the recommendations from the IPC classification research partners.

In addition, further feedback on the current rules and regulations has been received from the WPS Membership, while other amendments result from decisions and recommendations from the IPC Board of Appeal of Classification.

“Para swimming, as Para sport in general, is evolving all the time, and so is the knowledge of the technical aspects of the sport. This resulted in a revised procedure for the technical assessment, making the water test a more objective and reliable assessment protocol. I would like to thank the WPS Classification Advisory Group for their lead on this project,” said IPC Medical & Scientific Director, Peter Van de Vliet.

Para swimmers with intellectual impairment will benefit from the progress made at the IPC Classification Research & Development Centre at Leuven University in Belgium, resulting in more accurate tests in the Sport Cognition Test Battery.

“The revised WPS Classification Rules, integrating valuable feedback received from the membership as well, are an essential step forward for the development of the sport. We trust the whole Para swimming community share this view,” added Van de Vliet.

As a result of the revision of the WPS Classification Rules, all athletes with a Physical or Intellectual Impairment with Sport Class Status Confirmed or Reviewed with a Fixed Review Date will be put back into Review on 1 January 2018.

WPS will also hold a classifier recertification seminar for all current WPS classifiers to update on the revision of the rules and the “water test” in November, before the 2018 season.

WPS has informed the National Paralympic Committees about the decision.

The revised WPS Classification Rules will be published later this year on the WPS website.

The summary document sent to the NPCs is available here.