Classification separates athletes with similar levels of impairments into groups or classes, so they can compete in fair and equal competitions against one another. There are minimum impairment criteria that an athlete must meet in order to be eligible.
To determine an athlete’s national classification, a classification panel will assess the athlete. The purpose of the assessment is to determine how the athlete’s impairment influences their ability to compete, regardless of their level of talent, training or development.
The athlete evaluation process includes a physical assessment that ascertains the extent of the athlete’s impairment, technical assessment where the athlete demonstrates specific skills and techniques relevant to their shooting discipline, and an observational assessment where the classifier analyses the athlete performing either during training or competition.