ATHLETES with an intellectual disability will be able to compete at the London 2012 Paralympics following a vote by the International Paralympic Committee.
Such athletes had been previously banned after it was discovered a large part of Spain’s intellectual disability team at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics was not disabled.
But at the IPC general assembly in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it was decided they will be reinstated with Great Britain announcing their support of the move.
To avoid problems such as that of the Spanish basketball team, there will be a stringent classification procedure, focusing on ‘sports intelligence’.
IPC President Sir Philip Craven said: “Today’s achievement is the outcome of a unique and excellent co-operation between sports governance and the scientific community.
“I wish all intellectual disability athletes the best of success in their attempt to set world class performances at future competitions.”
Athletes with intellectual disabilities were not able to compete at Athens 2004 or Beijing 2008. However, the International Sports Federation for Persons with an Intellectual Disability (Inas-Fid) has been working with the IPC in a bid to lift the ban.
