Athletes with Intellectual Disabilities Back in Paralympics!

posted on Nov 24 by Stacy in the Disability News, Paralympics, Wheelchair Sports category

Athletes with intellectual disabilities are allowed back to compete in the paralympics in London 2012! The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) voted recently to reinstate the athlete’s status after the Spanish basketball team in the 2000 games was found to be cheating and not have disabled team members.
Two organizations, the International Sports Federation for Persons with an Intellectual Disability (Inas-Fid) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have been working together to come up with the criteria to reintroduce athletes.
Instead of taking the team’s word for it in London, the committee will be giving tests called “sports intelligence tests” to classify the athletes. These tests include reviewing the athlete’s medical records, then giving them a sports specific test so they can move on in the process.

President of the Inas-Fid, Bob Price, said “I am delighted with the outcome of the vote. Even though they themselves did nothing wrong, intellectual disability athletes have been excluded from the Paralympic Games and other IPC-sanctioned competitions.
This resolution brings this unfortunate episode to an end and reintroduces intellectual disability athletes to their proper place within the Paralympic family.”