The International Paralympic Committee announced in late January that competition at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games will feature six fewer events than that of the 2016 Games, but will host the same number of total athletes.
“For both athletics [track and field] and swimming, we have created programmes that ensure a good cross-section of events for athletes in all classes,” IPC President Andrew Parsons said. “By reducing the number of events in both sports from Rio 2016, we also aim to increase the depth of talent in each field and ensure greater long-term event viability. The addition of mixed gender relays will also enable more countries to participate.”
The following changes will be enacted:
| Men’s cut events | Women’s cut events | Men’s added events |
Women’s added events
|
| 50FS S1, S6, S8, S12 | 200FS S2, S3 | 100BRS SB12 | 100BF S14 |
| 100FS S7, S9, S11, S13 | 100FS S6, S8, S13 | 100BF S12, S14 | 100BRS SB12 |
| 50FS S5, S7, S9, S12 | 50BK S1 | 100FS S12 | |
| 100FS S12 |
The grand total of events now stands at 76 swimming events for men and 67 for women. Additionally, the lineup will include three mixed-gender relays. Two of those are new: a 4x100m freestyle relay for visually impaired athletes and a 4x100m freestyle relay for athletes with an intellectual impairment. Overall, there will 620 slots for para-swimmers at the games (340 for men and 280 for women).
The changes will cause a number of acclaimed swimmers to rethink their events over the next two years. 5-time Paralympic gold medalist Brad Snyder won the S11 100 free in 2016, and household name Ihar Boki took the S13 race. On the women’s side, the United States’ McKenzie Coan won the S7 50 free, and Australia’s Maddison Elliot won the S8 100 free at the Rio Paralympics.
In refusing to address the very obvious intentional misrepresentation the IPC think they are protecting their brand but all they have done is let para sport degenerate into fake sport. It is now just embarrassing and cringeworthy.
Too funny!!! IPC are so quick to cut/add events. I do wish they would sort out the intentional misrepresentation issues just as quick. The longer they put off things the more they look incompetent and the longer they let the blatant cheats break records and win medals the more the public think they are a joke. Well done IPC!!!
as of January 2018 there is a new classification/reclassification procedure to combat this. the system is in place now, my swimmers will be going through this over the next several seasons.
what exactly has changed is difficult for me to explain as it is an already complicated procedure.
but to address you’re concerns, the system has already changed
Are you able to explain basics of what has changed in regards to classification? This would allow others to have a bit of an understanding of what had changed and how things will progress.
Hi Mary, here is the link for the World Para Swimming Classification Rules and Regulations effective 1st January 2018. The main changes that I can see are to the Technical (water) Test. This still requires athletes to behave themselves during classification though, perhaps Coach John could expand. I tend to agree with Fred, nothing more than embarrassing, cringeworthy fake sport now. Not much ‘brand’ to protect unless they begin to address Intentional Misrepresentation and get rid of the serial offenders – athletes and staff.
https://m.paralympic.org/sites/default/files/document/171220150814237_2017_12+World+Para+Swimming_Classification+Rules+and+Regulations_FINAL.pdf
I have yet to have an athlete go through the new process but when it is done in april and there is another article concerning IPC or para-sport I will gladly report back my thoughts.