Paraclimbing Development

In March 2019, the IFSC General Assembly approved a Paraclimbing Development Plan with the following goals:

• To acknowledge the strength and importance of the Paraclimbing community
• To give credibility to the Paraclimbing movement
• To professionalise the sport by striving to meet the standards of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), therefore making the sport worth consideration for future Paralympic Games

The plan focuses on three key areas:

1. SPORT

CLASSIFICATION

Improve the Paraclimbing classification process to meet the rigorous international standard set in the IPC Athlete Classification Code. This includes improvements in the following areas:

• Classifier personnel and training
• Athlete evaluation
• Eligible impairments, which will better define Sport Classes (previously known as Paraclimbing categories)

ROUTESETTING AND RULES

The increased athletes’ participation at the IFSC Paraclimbing World Championships Innsbruck 2018 forced new standards for routesetting. A pool of Paraclimbing Routesetters has since been created, aimed at growing a community of setters specialised in Paraclimbing competitons.

COMPETITIONS

IFSC Member Federations have expressed a desire to see their athletes participating in more competitions. The IFSC is actively seeking local organisers to host more Paraclimbing competitions at an international level.

2. GOVERNANCE

It was decided that the previous Paraclimbing Commission should be disbanded in 2019 to form a new Paraclimbing Committee. The Paraclimbing Committee has a much more operational role, to represent more broadly the Paraclimbing community.

3. AWARENESS

Paraclimbing needs more promotion in order to reach a wider number of athletes, starting at a grassroots level. The IFSC could play an important coordinating and supporting role, though change should be adopted by National Federations, working closely with gyms and physical rehabilitation centres to promote the sport.