Adaptive rowing impacted for Beijing by IPC decision

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced two crucial decisions that impact adaptive rowing.

1. IPC Decision on Athletes with an Intellectual Disability

In a press statement, the IPC Governing Board announced, “that athletes with an intellectual disability shall not take part in IPC sanctioned competitions, including the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.”

The IPC statement reported, “The IPC Governing Board discussed the status of the general eligibility system (but) it was felt that this system does not achieve the standard expected for IPC sanctioned competitions and is not sufficiently robust to ensure fair competition for athletes with an intellectual disability.”

The status of athletes with an intellectual disability will be re-evaluated following the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

2. IPC Qualification Guidelines for Rowing in the 2008 Paralympic Games

The IPC has also published the qualification guidelines for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. For adaptive rowing four events will be contested; the men’s single (AM1x) the women’s single (AW1x) the mixed double (TAMix2x) and the coxed four (LTAMix4+).

A total quota of 96 athletes will be eligible for selection made up equally of men and women. This athlete quota is for disabled athletes only, therefore coxswains come under a separate classification.

FISA’s Executive Director Matt Smith clarifies, “After discussions with the IPC Sport Director, we were able to consider coxswains as belonging to a different accreditation category therefore increasing the number of boats to 12 in all four events. Coxswains are able bodied and will be considered like guides for blind runners. The coxswains will also still win medals when their crews get on the podium.”

The primary qualification for Beijing will take place at the 2007 World Rowing Championships in Munich and a final qualification opportunity will take place at the first Rowing World Cup regatta in May 2008.

Following the decision on intellectually disabled athletes, FISA will work on updating the adaptive rowing classification system for 2007 and 2008. However, for the 2006 World Rowing Championships, intellectually disabled athletes will still be eligible and the 2006 FISA Adaptive Rowing Classification Guidelines stand as published earlier this year.

Please find below the hyperlink addresses for the rowing qualification system (in PDF format) and for the complete document for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Qualification Guide:

Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Qualification Guide – Rowing Qualification System:
http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/Paralympic_Games/Beijing_2008/2006_06_16_Rowing_Beijing_2008_PG_Qualification_Criteria_xFinalx.pdf
 
Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Qualification Guide – Complete Document:
http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/Paralympic_Games/Beijing_2008/Beijing_2008_Qualification_Criteria.html

IPC “Governing Board Takes Important Decisions on 2008 and 2010 Paralympic Programmes”:
http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/Media/Press_Releases/2006_06_26_a.html

FISA’s Adaptive Rowing Classification Guidelines:
http://www.worldrowing.com/index.php?pageid=17

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