IPC lift ‘ban’ on athletes with learning difficulties

By Paul Carter

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that it is to overturn its ruling preventing athletes with learning difficulties competing at the Paralympics.

The controversial decision was taken in January 2001 after Spain’s wheelchair basketball team won gold in the Sydney Games in 2000, but was later discovered to have only two players with IQs under the qualifying level of 75.

In a joint statement issued with the International Sports Federation for Persons with an Intellectual Disability (INAS-FID), it was announced that the ban would be lifted by early next year.

“The activities of the joint working group are focused on the resolution of three key areas of concern: eligibility, sport specificity and on-site protests and appeals,” it said.

“Significant progress is being made in all three areas and it is anticipated that systems, processes and procedures will be available for pilot testing during the early part of 2009.”

Although the decision still needs to be formally ratified by the IPC general assembly in November, it is widely expected that athletes will be allowed to compete at the next Paralympics in London in 2012.