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Fencing for the Disabled
After analytical evaluation and functional tests a classification into
Sport Classes is given according to the following criteria:
Eligibility to compete
An athlete must have a minimal handicap, that means: any fencer that,
due to a permanent disability, cannot fence standing, as an able body
fencer is eligible for wheelchair fencing. Otherwise the athlete gets
the Sport Class "Ineligibility to Compete". Athletes, who are
eligible to compete, are classified into the following:
Class 1A
Athletes with no sitting balance who have a handicapped playing arm. No
efficient elbow extension against gravity and no residual function of
the hand which makes it necessary to fix the weapon with a bandage. Such
a class is comparable to the old ISMGF 1A, or tetraplegics with spinal
lesions level C5/C6.
Class 1B
Athletes without sitting balance and affected fencing arm. Functional
elbow extension but no functional finger flexion. The weapon has to be
fixed with a bandage. Comparable to complete tetraplegics level C7/C8
or higher incomplete lesion.
Class 2
Athletes with fair sitting balance and normal fencing arm, paraplegic
type D1 - D9 (Functional tests 1 and 2 - not totaling more than 4 points
) or incomplete tetraplegics with minimally affected fencing arm and good
sitting balance.
Class 3
Athletes with good Sitting balance, without support of legs and normal
fencing arm, e.g. paraplegics from D10 to L2 (Functional tests 1 and 2
positive - with a point score from 5 to 9). Subjects with double above
the knee amputation with short stumps, or incomplete lesions above D10
or comparable disabilities can be included in this class, provided that
the legs can help in maintaining the sitting balance.
Class 4
Athletes with good sitting balance with the support of lower limbs and
normal fencing arm, e.g. with lesion below L4 or comparable disability
(tests 3 and 4 positive with at least 5 points).
In the case of cerebral lesion or even in the case of doubt, it is necessary
to complete the evaluation by observing the athlete whilst fencing. The
involvement of the athletes themselves in the classifying procedure is
most important, which in fact the signature of an athlete (or technician)
provides within the scope of the classification commission.
Coaching Wheelchair Fencing
The British Disabled Fencing Association (BDFA) organises and runs coaching
courses for coaches interested in learning about coaching Wheelchair Fencing.
These courses are run by the national coaching team and participants
are provided with a certificate of attendance to show they have a basic
competency in coaching Wheelchair Fencing.
For further information and wheelchairs fencing specific rules etc. visit
International Wheelchair
and Amputee Sports Federation
British Disabled Fencing Association
-
www.bdfa.org.uk/
International
Paralympic Committee - www.paralympic.org/release/Summer_Sports/Wheelchair_Fencing/
Guide to the different disability categories at the
Paralympics.
Amputee:
Includes athletes who have at least one major joint in a limb missing,
i.e. elbow, wrist, knee, ankle. Depending on the sport, some amputees
compete as wheelchair athletes.
Cerebral palsy:
A disorder of movement and posture due to damage to an area, or areas,
of the brain that control and coordinate muscle tone, reflexes, posture
and movement. Cerebral means brain-centred; palsy is a lack of muscle
control.
Intellectual disability:
A person with an intellectual disability must have substantial limitation
in present functioning characterised by intellectual functioning (the
American Association of Mental Retardation defines this as an IQ of 70
or below), limitations in two or more of the following adaptive skill
areas: communication, self-care, home living, social skills, community
use, self-direction, health and safety, functional academics, leisure
and work and have acquired their condition before age 18.
Les autres
Les autres is French for 'the others'. It is a term used to describe athletes
with a range of conditions, which result in locomotive disorders - such
as dwarfism - that don't fit into the traditional classification systems
of the established disability groups.
Vision impaired
Any condition, which interferes with 'normal' vision. This incorporates
the entire range of vision difficulties from correctable conditions through
to total blindness.
Wheelchair
Generally in order to be eligible to compete in this category an athlete
must have at least a 10% loss of function of their lower limbs. Some of
the more common conditions which may result in individuals being eligible
include: traumatic paraplegia and quadriplegia, spina bifida, poliomyelitis,
amputees, cerebral palsy and all non ambulant les autres athletes.
CLASSIFICATION:
Within the six disability categories the athletes still need to be divided
according to their differing level of impairment. The classification systems
differ from sport to sport, in accordance with the different skills required
to perform the sport.
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