ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on paralympic bodies is not to suggest that these are not the only bodies that engage in disability sport, but rather since these are the most high-profile they can serve as good examples of (dis)abled bodies. It explores the distinction between congenital and acquired impairment as the two avenues into International Paralympic Committee (IPC) events. The running, jumping, swimming or simply moving bodies of impaired athletes have continually been judged in relation to an able-bodied 'norm' and the standards of play and performance are compared with those of mainstream competitions. Classification is simply a structure for competition similar to the systems used in the sports of judo and boxing where competitors perform in distinctive weight categories. The IPC currently organizes and administers both the Paralympic Games and the quadrennial World Championships for individual Paralympic sports such as athletics, using athletes who have been through a process of classification.