The Hidden Mental Health Impact of Classification in Para Sport – and Ways to Help

Imagine an athlete who has spent four years preparing for the Paralympic Games. Early mornings, repeated training camps, injury setbacks, selection pressure, and the hope of representing their country have all been part of the journey. Then, shortly before the competition, they go through classification and are told they do not meet the eligibility criteria, or that their sport class has changed. Suddenly, the event they have worked towards may no longer be possible.

This is why classification can feel so powerful in Para sport. Classification is one of the foundations of fair competition. It helps decide who is eligible to compete and which sport class an athlete belongs in. Without classification, competition would be much less fair.

But classification is not only a technical process. For athletes, it can also be deeply emotional. A classification decision may affect selection, funding, medal chances, team roles and even whether an athlete can continue in their sport.

At major events such as the Paralympic Games, World Championships and Commonwealth Games, this pressure can become even stronger. This blog post explores five ways that classification may affect Para-athletes’ mental health and what athletes, coaches, classifiers and organizations can do to make the process more supportive.

Classification has important psychological implications for Para athletes that should be recognized and supported

1. Classification can create uncertainty

Before classification, athletes may ask themselves:

• Will I still be eligible?

• Will my sport class change?

• Will I lose my place on the team?

• Will people think my classification is unfair?

Research with elite British athletes with disabilities found that classification could create “inner turmoil” linked to uncertainty and lack of control (Lee et al., 2026). Meanwhile, athletes also described classification as a topic that can feel difficult or even taboo to discuss.

This matters because uncertainty is not just an administrative issue. For an athlete who has trained for years, classification can feel like a decision about their future.

2. Athletes may feel they have to “prove” their impairment

Classification often involves medical documents, impairment testing, sport-specific assessment, and sometimes observation in competition. These steps are important for fairness, but they can feel uncomfortable.

Athletes may feel that they are being judged through their impairment rather than their sporting identity. For athletes with complex, fluctuating or less visible impairments, this feeling may be even stronger.

This is why communication matters. Athletes should understand what is being assessed, why it is being assessed, and what support is available if the outcome is difficult.

3. A sport class can become part of an athlete’s identity

A sport class is meant to organize fair competitions. However, it can also shape how athletes see themselves and how others see them.

Powis and Macbeth’s (2020) study of visually impaired cricket and football players found that classification categories could become social identifiers. Athletes were not only described by name or position, but also by class. The study also found three major themes: lack of faith in classification, classification as social identifiers, and rumor or gossip about intentional misrepresentation.

This can affect mental health because a class can carry expectations. Some athletes may feel pressure to perform “like” in their class. Others may feel questioned if they perform better than expected.

A sport class should never become a measure of an athlete’s worth.

4. Distrust and cheating rumors can harm wellbeing

Intentional misrepresentation means deliberately misleading classifiers during the classification process. It is a serious issue because it can threaten fairness in Para sport.

However, even rumors about cheating can damage athlete's wellbeing. Powis and Macbeth found that visually impaired cricket and football athletes discussed suspicion and gossip around classification. One athlete described feeling frustrated by being questioned by teammates, even after repeated tests.

Similar issues appear in other sports. Research with visually impaired Para alpine skiers found that athletes questioned the suitability of current classification measures, felt excluded from parts of the system and described distrust linked to intentional misrepresentation (Douglas et al., 2024).

When athletes do not trust the process, classification can become more than a test. It can become a source of doubt, tension, and anxiety.

5. Major events can amplify classification pressure

Classification can be stressful at any level, but major events increase the stakes.

At the Paralympic Games or World Championships, a classification decision can affect:

• competition entry

• media attention

• national funding

• sponsorship

• team selection

• an athlete’s long-term career

  
  

Research on cheating classification notes that the Paralympic Games have grown in profile, commercial value and competitiveness (Gowans et al., 2026). At the same time, classification integrity has become a major concern for Para sport. This means athletes may experience classification in a high-pressure environment where one decision can feel career changing.

Read about our project to develop international guidelines for paralympic games mental health support

What can help?

Clear education before classification

Athletes should receive clear, accessible information before classification. This should include what will happen, what documents are needed, what their responsibilities are and what support they can access.

A Delphi study on cheating classification identified compulsory athlete education before classification as a key priority (Gowans et al., 2026). The study also recommended video recording classification, longer bans for intentional misrepresentation, and more support for classifiers who suspect cheating. Education can reduce cheating risk, and it can also reduce anxiety.

Better communication from classifiers and organizations

A fair process should also be respectful. Athletes should not leave classification confused, ashamed or afraid to ask questions. Classifiers and organizations can help by using clear language, explaining decisions carefully, and allowing space for questions.

Lee et al. (2026) recommend that sport psychologists and organizations support psychological safety, so athletes can talk about classification without fear of consequences.

Psychological support before and after classification

Support should not only happen after something goes wrong. This is especially important when an athlete is reclassified or classified out of a sport.

Athletes may benefit from:

• pre-classification preparation

• a post-classification debriefs

• support after unexpected class changes

• access to sport psychologists or mental health professionals

Check out our interactive resources for coping (part 1 and part 2)

Coaches and support staff should reduce fear, not increase it

Coaches can make classification feel safer or more stressful. They can help by preparing athletes calmly, avoiding gossip about other athletes’ classifications and supporting athletes after difficult decisions. Support staff should also understand that classification is not only a rules-based issue. It can affect confidence, identity, and belonging.

Athlete voice should shape future classification systems

Classification systems should be evidence-based, but they should also listen to athletes.

Athletes can explain what the process feels like, what information is missing, and where support is needed. Including athlete voices can make classification more transparent, more humane and more trusted.

Take-home messages

For athletes:

• Feeling anxious or uncertain about classification is understandable.

• Your sport class does not define your value as an athlete or person.

For coaches and support staff

• Prepare athletes with clear information, not fear.

• Avoid gossip about classification because it can damage trust and wellbeing.

For classifiers and organizations

• Fairness is not only about the final class decision.

• How athletes are treated during classification also matters.

For event organizers

• Mental health support should be part of classification planning at major events.

• Athletes may need support before, during and after classification.

Conclusion

Classification protects fairness in Para sport, but it can also carry emotional weight. If classification can influence an athlete's opportunities, identity, and sense of belonging, then supporting psychological wellbeing during classification should be considered part of their safeguarding and welfare. Fair competition and athlete wellbeing should not be treated as separate goals. In Para sport, they need to work together.

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Written and infographics by Hank Zhao

Hank Zhao is an MSc Physiotherapy student at the University of Birmingham. His academic background is in Sport and Exercise Medical Sciences, with previous research experience in blood flow restriction training and perceived exertion. He is currently completing a research placement with the SPRINT Project.

References:

1. Douglas, S. M., Kitchin, P. J., Jackson, A. J., Barrett, B. T., & Little, J.-A. (2024). Athletes’ perspectives of the classification system in para alpine skiing for those with visual impairment. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 41(3), 402-419. https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2023-0076

2. Gowans, I., Yilmaz, S., Goosey-Tolfrey, V. L., Beckman, E. M., & Rhind, D. J. A. (2025). Prioritised actions to reduce the threat of cheating classification in Para sport: A Delphi study. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 18(1), 153-175. https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2025.2521525

3. Lawson, J. A., & Latimer-Cheung, A. E. (2024). Scoping review of literature and systematic search of web-based resources: Parasport classification instructions, experiences, and outcomes. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2024.2416967

4. Lee, L., Arnold, R., Roberts, G. A., Barker, J., Hutchinson, M. J., & Wagstaff, C. R. D. (2026). Classification in sport: Exploring the experiences of elite British athletes with a disability. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 38(2), 170-190. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2025.2560853

5. Powis, B., & Macbeth, J. L. (2019). “We know who is a cheat and who is not. But what can you do?”: Athletes’ perspectives on classification in visually impaired sport. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 55(5), 588-602. https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690218825209