Tying up arm for weeks, sitting on ice for hours, partial amputation: How para athletes attempt classification doping | Sport-others News

Months before a para classification competition, the purpose of which is to determine the level of disability and club athletes with similar impairments together, an Indian athlete folded his arm towards his shoulder and tied it using a plastic cord. It remained in that position for a few weeks. At the classification this para athlete’s hand looked lifeless and weak. Just one example of disability misrepresentation or what is known as classification doping an Indian para athlete in order to gain an unfair advantage during competition. This athlete was weeded out before he could represent India. Yet others have slipped through only to be caught World Para Athletics classifiers, officials who decide which class an athlete is eligible for.
Vinod Kumar, the bronze medall in the discus throw in a wheelchair category (F52) at the Tokyo Paralympics was suspended for two years ‘for intentionally misrepresenting his abilities’.
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However, disability misrepresentation is a worldwide phenomenon, the most famous case being of the intellectually disabled Spanish basketball team at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. Because of the whleblower journal, it came to light that 10 of the 12 team members were faking. Heads rolled at the Spanish federation.
The rise in cash prizes for Paralympic medal winners; Rs 75 lakh from the Indian central government and Rs 6 crore from some state governments, has enticed unscrupulous athletes, many of whom are not good enough to compete against able-bodied athletes, to take extreme steps like part amputation that doesn’t affect their performance drastically.
Able-bodied athletes too have resorted to extreme measures to attain a classification.
A national-level para athletics coach told The Indian Express that he had warned abled-bodied athletes trying to switch to para sports against consequences and that he would not hesitate in reporting them to classifiers. The most number of phone calls have been from javelin throwers, the coach said. Story continues below this ad
“In the able-bodied events, the standard of competition is very high in India. Even if you hit 80 metres, you might not finish in the top five. The rising competition has resulted in athletes resorting to the ways of becoming a para athlete. There are many able-bodied athletes who have reached out to me saying that I want to get into para Athletics. Cash awards are a big deal for them as a lot of them come from underprivileged backgrounds and of course the recognition of winning a medal for the country,” the coach elaborated.
The job of a classifier is not easy. But the smarter ones continue to keep an eye on athletes even after they are assigned a ‘sports class’ to spot clues of disability misrepresentation, a classifier said. Assessing the extent of spinal cord injuries of wheelchair athletes in discus and club events is a tricky affair for classifiers.
“The highest number of controversial cases are in wheelchair events. It is one of the most complex categories and it is not easy to judge with the naked eye. Athletes present forged medical certificates usually. Few of them are caught during observation assessment but a few escape also,” a classifier said.
At the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in New Delhi earlier this month, classifiers said they were extra vigilant because the World Championships is later this year. The rising number of disability misrepresentation cases resulted in the World Para Athletics introducing a new code in 2024. “The new code WPA has made it clear that athletes vying for classification need to have a permanent medical condition. Given how the athletes use the ambiguity of classification, the WPA has introduced the following measures,” Manish Rana, Head of classifications, Paralympic Committee of India said. Story continues below this ad
Para athletes also use other unscrupulous methods. Once an athlete sat on ice for hours to make his trunk numb and reduce his mobility when on the wheelchair. “Para-athletes try to manipulate their disabilities so they get easier classifications. If their limb movement is limited, they will try to show almost zero movement,” the classifier added.
Prize money windfall
The attractive cash prizes and job openings is the lure for para athletes to attempt disability fudging. For example, after the Paris Paralympics, the Central Government awarded 75 lakhs to gold medalls, 50 lakhs to silver medalls and 30 lakhs to bronze medalls. State governments give handsome rewards, with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments topping the l with Rs 6 crore for a gold medal, Rs 4 crore for silver medal and Rs XX for a bronze.
“Other than the prize money, medal winners at major events can also get jobs,” a PCI official said.
In a manipulation attempt in Uzbekan, Dilshodbek Jabborov tried for international classification after being barred once before changing his name.However, he was caught WPA and barred for the next four years from competing.