Classification Systems

In contrast to the medical classification approach in which athletes competed in the same class for all sports, functional systems of classification need to be sports-specific. This is because any given impairment may have a significant impact in one sport and a relatively minor impact in another.

For example the impact that below elbow amputation has on Swimming is relatively large compared with the impact on distance running. Basically, in functional classification systems, an athlete with such impairment would compete in a class that had relatively greater activity limitation in Swimming than they would in Athletics.