Origins of classification

In the 1940s, Dr. Ludwig Guttmann founded Paralympic Sport as an extension of the rehabilitation process. During the early years of the Paralympic Movement, classification was medically based. The organisational structure of medically based classification systems reflected the structure of a rehabilitation hospital, with separate classes for people with spinal cord injuries, amputations and those with other neurological or orthopaedic conditions.

Consequently, an athlete was allocated a sport class over ALL sports.