• Athletes have drugged themselves and rolled in snow says former IPC expert • IPC insists system is ‘robust’ as allegations mount of intentional misleading

A former classification expert for the International Paralympic Committee has lifted the lid on a system ripe for cheating and claims to have repeatedly witnessed athletes exaggerating their disability to stand a better chance of winning medals.

The expert, who has requested to remain anonymous for fear of losing their job, claims to have seen athletes drugging themselves with Valium, rolling in the snow and taping their limbs before classification assessments.

'Not fit for purpose': MPs hear claims of cheating in Paralympic sport Read more

One allegation is that a family from south Asia attempted to bribe the expert in order to have their son classified in a bracket where he would compete against more severely disabled athletes.

The IPC has once again defended its classification system, insisting it is “robust” after a deluge of allegations of intentional misrepresentation, which casts serious doubt over the integrity of the entire Paralympic sport movement.

The expert, who has worked for several years classifying athletes around the world, said: “I know a country which coaches athletes on what to do before the classification tests so they’ll get into the most advantageous categories and I suspect they’re not the only country to do it.

“There are athletes that don’t appear for classification because they’re supposedly sick,” the expert added. “With amputees they can’t do anything so we’re talking about the athletes with neurological conditions. If you make them do physical exercise before they test they’ll be weaker. I’ve seen them put them in hot showers and cold showers. They sometimes roll around in the snow.

“Then you get athletes who have their limbs strapped and bandaged to increase the spasticity. In track and field they’ll do a 5km run and come into classification tired.”

Quick guide What is para-sport classification? Show Hide Athletes are grouped in classes according to their activity limitation in a certain sport, supposedly allowing for fair competition between those with different types of disability. There are 10 so-called 'eligible impairments' but not every sport admits competitors from every one of those Does everyone in a class have the same impairment? No. For example, athletes with paraplegia and double amputees might compete in the same class in athletics because their different impairments have a comparable effect on their wheelchair racing performance. In Paralympic sport, each class is given a code relating to the severity of the impairment and the type of disability How are athletes classified? Each sport trains and certifies individuals to conduct athlete evaluation by classifiers who either have a medical background or are technical experts in their sport. They will conduct a series of tests to decide which class an athlete should compete in, while each sport has a committee to monitor their work. Classifiers will also then monitor athletes in competition.



Tanni Grey-Thompson said the practice of intentional misrepresentation in disabled athletes was “similar to” doping in Olympic sport. She told a parliamentary hearing that some athletes in Britain were threatened with deselection from teams if they raised concerns publicly about the classification process.

The issue goes to the heart of Paralympic competition and several athletes have raised their heads above the parapet to voice their discontent. Bethany Woodward handed back her world relay medal because she felt the inclusion of one of her team-mates was giving the British team an “unfair advantage”.

Classification controversy marks terrible coming of age for Paralympic sport Read more

The Para-sprinter Ian Jones, who won two bronze medals behind Oscar Pistorius at the 2008 Paralympics, said he felt “embarrassed” when he was reclassified to race against those with significantly more serious impairments. The expert told the Guardian that some of the unpaid volunteers who classify for the IPC are not equipped to do the job.

“We raised concerns that intentional misrepresentation was going on a lot but were dismissed very quickly,” the expert said. “I was classifying before a major event and I mentioned to the chief classifier that one of the competitors didn’t look quite right. He just said: ‘Sorry I missed the race.’ The system is a mess.”

The expert also alleged that one athlete was found to have taken Valium, a muscle relaxant, before a classification assessment.

“There needs to be more training for classifiers because there have been some terrible mistakes and injustices done to athletes who have been put in the wrong class,” the expert said.

The IPC said there were robust systems in place and that, if someone is found to have cheated, safety nets are in place to redress the wrong. A spokesman claimed that extra TV coverage because of the increased popularity of Paralympic sport had made it even more difficult to cheat the system.