Citi Volunteer Award 2023 nominees: Meet Rebecca Foulsham

The Citi Volunteer Award recognises someone who has given up their own time to support the growth of Para sport as a volunteer; either as a classifier, technical official, event support or IPC member support.

Rebecca Foulsham: The woman behind the scenes of Para sport

Rebecca ‘Becs’ Foulsham has been involved in Para sport for over two decades. She is a classifier, a trained professional who assesses the functional abilities of athletes with disabilities and assigns them to different sport classes. In 2022, Rebecca, who lives in the small town of Havelock North in New Zealand’s North Island, was appointed Head of Classification globally for World Para Athletics. 

Rebecca’s journey as a classifier began when she was watching her husband, Gavin, a Paralympian, training on the track. She was approached by Paralympics New Zealand (NZ), who needed a new classifier for athletics. She agreed to take on the role, despite having little knowledge of the classification system. 

“I was completely naive to the complexities of classification which is probably why I said yes!” she says.

“My early experiences of training with inspiring international classifiers, national athletes willing to teach me about the sport and the thrill of being present at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games as part of the NZ team meant I was hooked very easily.” 

Rebecca is a physiotherapist by profession, with experience in neurology, general medicine and rehabilitation. She works as a casual contractor, so that she can balance her work and Para sport commitments. These include working in five countries in three continents for her role, working at six national competitions, and processing a huge 48 New Zealand eligibility applications between January 2022 and April 2023.  

She says having a supportive husband who understands Para sport and classification is the key to managing her busy schedule. 

“He is aware of the need for the people behind the scenes to make sporting opportunities happen, so he is incredibly supportive of my commitment,” she says. 

Rebecca enjoys the challenge and reward of being a classifier, especially when she can make the process less stressful and more informative for the athletes and their families. 

“Classification can be a stressful and confusing process, often more than it should be,” she says.

“When I get feedback that the classification process was made less stressful, more informative or more engaging than they thought it would be - that’s what I strive for.” 

In 25 years as a classifier, Rebecca has classified athletes at various levels of competition, from national to regional to international. She has been a key contributor to Para sport development in New Zealand across multiple sports during this time, and internationally she helps develop and update classification rules and educates other classifiers. She says she is proud of her contribution to Para sport and hopes to continue for as long as she can. 

“I love being part of the Para sport community and seeing the amazing achievements of the athletes,” she says. “I feel privileged to be able to play a small role in their journeys.” 

The 2023 Awards  

The 2023 PARA SPORT Awards will be organised alongside the IPC General Assembly on 27 September 2023 in Bahrain. 

They will celebrate the terrific achievements of summer and winter sport athletes in one event, along with recognising the work of volunteers, coaches, and members of the IPC whose efforts have contributed to strengthening the impact of Para sports worldwide.

Ten categories will be awarded overall, seven of which will take place in Bahrain. The Citi Volunteer Award is the only award that has a public vote, which runs online from 1-15 September.