Jamaica Paralympic Association President Christopher Samuda has made a forceful case for coordinated international funding to address one of Paralympic sport’s most persistent challenges — athlete classification — warning that cost and limited accessibility continue to undermine the system’s fairness and integrity.

Speaking at an International Classification Conference in Moscow, Russia, hosted by the Russian Paralympic Committee and attended by representatives from more than 50 countries, Samuda argued that a technically sound classification system means little if countries lack the resources to implement it.

“Classification is a challenge for many countries and the perennial complaint is one of expense and accessibility,” he said, proposing that funding be organised on a continental basis, directed towards nations with the greatest need for classifier training, certification, and athlete assessment.

Classification is fundamental to Paralympic competition — determining eligibility and the sport class in which an athlete competes. Yet concerns over cost, consistency, and accuracy have placed growing pressure on the movement to strengthen the process without compromising its credibility.

Samuda’s solution is clear: sustained financial investment. “If we are to implement a sustainable programme for classification, it requires serious funding. It takes cash to care — but you first have to create it and, more importantly, you need to care for the cash lest the well runs dry,” he said.

The conference, held under the theme “Actual Issues in Classification in Para Sport,” examined the 2025 IPC Classification Code, scientific approaches to athlete assessment, and the prevention of intentional misrepresentation. A resolution on financial and policy matters was expected upon its conclusion.

SOURCE: Caribbean National Weekly