IPPA PLAYER EVALUATION PROCESS

 Before an athlete can compete in Para Pickleball under a sport class, they must go through a formal evaluation process consisting of the following key steps: 

The athlete must have one of the 10 Eligible Impairments defined by the IPC, such as:

Limb deficiency (e.g., amputation), impaired muscle power (e.g., spinal cord injury), Impaired passive range of movement, Hypertonia, Ataxia, Athetosis, Vision impairment, Short stature, intellectual impairment or Leg length difference. If an athlete does not have an eligible impairment, they cannot be classified for Para sport competition.

 2. Minimum Impairment Criteria (MIC)

Each sport defines a Minimum Impairment Criteria, which ensures that the impairment has a significant impact on sport performance.

In Para Pickleball:

The MIC would ensure that only athletes whose impairments genuinely affect their ability to play the sport are eligible.  MIC is sport-specific, meaning it reflects the demands and skills required in pickleball (such as mobility, reach, balance, etc.).

 3. Sport Class Allocation

Once both of the above are confirmed:

• Athletes undergo evaluation by a classification panel.
   
• They are assigned to a sport class, which groups athletes with similar activity limitations to ensure fair competition.
   

Note: A sport class is not based solely on medical diagnosis, but on how much the impairment affects performance in that sport.