IFDS Statement on Jeff Milligan declassification

by IFDS/Serge Jorgensen on 21 Jan 2006 The President’s statement reads…

'It is with regret that the IFDS notes the recent classification questions at the 2006 Disabled World Championship. The classification system used for Disabled Sailing has been developed over the past 14 years by a multi-national team of physicians from Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands and the USA, and with feedback and input from coaches, sailors and RNAs. The system is designed to provide the greatest possible degree of equity and inclusion, while allowing teams to compete against other sailors with physical functional limitations within defined parameters.

'These parameters of functional limitations include such things as spinal cord injuries, certain amputations, visual impairments, cerebral palsy and stroke victims. There are many different degrees of disability, and significant work and effort goes into defining a functional system that recognizes the impairments of each disability and comparing it with the relative abilities of other sailors. This becomes very difficult, especially when looking to include the maximum number and types of sailors and disabilities. At both ends of the scale, there are sailors that have found that they are 'too disabled' to compete, and sailors that have been identified as 'too functional' as related to the current definitions in the sport-specific system.

'For years, IFDS has worked with designers, manufacturers, and countries to promote the inclusion of more and more severely disabilities - and it is now common practice to see sailors with little or no control of their limbs to be successfully competing on an international level.

'Simultaneously, and only after long consideration and discussion, some sailors towards the top of the scale (some of the more functional sailors) have been determined to be 'unclassifiable', in that their disability does not present sufficient impact to their performance on the water to the level that they can be 'classified' in the current system. This group of sailors, although it is recognized that they often have significant physical limitations, is not eligible to compete in disabled championships.

'These decisions are not undertaken lightly, but in a functional system there will always be a line of distinction between sailors that are eligible and those that are not. Whether this line drifts to include sailors that are more functionally limited or less limited is a recommendation that starts with hours of on the water review by the Classifiers, moves to discussions with the Medical Committee, is followed by a recommendation to the Executive Committee, distribution to the RNAs, and finally voting and ratification at the Annual General Meetings.

'While it is obviously in the best interests of the sport to be as inclusive as possible, examples of disabilities that are 'not eligible' for competition in disabled championships include hearing impairments (deaf), some visual impairments, some levels of amputations. Chronic pain, some less debilitating levels of Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, and CP, and even age, are other examples of 'unclassifiable' disabilities. Within a seven point functional system, and with the wide range of disabilities that are included, it is difficult (if not impossible) to include every disability and provide a ranking system between all of the resultant different levels of ability. It is critical to note that eligibility in no way reflects on the recognition of disability. Of the 54 million people medically considered disabled in the USA, only an estimated 11 million would be considered functionally impaired enough to be eligible to compete in a Paralympic Sport.

'The International Paralympic Committee, the IFDS, and the RNAs all recognize this limitation and have tried to address it in different ways over the years. Current practice is to carefully research the system over each four year quadrennium, announce recommendations and decisions as far in advance as possible, publish the changes for the upcoming quadrennium immediately following the Paralympic Games, and work with sailors to create as equitable playing field as practical given the known restrictions and limitations. This particular change has been discussed since 2003, and recommended and distributed to RNAs and the IFDS website in 2004. At this event, the Classification Committee upheld the rules as they were established last year.

'It is extremely unfortunate when anyone is excluded from playing the game (whether because of a perception of too little functionality or too much functionality), and the IFDS is very sympathetic to and deeply regrets any confusion, disappointment and difficulty that such exclusions may cause. The pain and frustration is felt throughout the sport. It is our hope that people of all abilities, whether able-bodied or disabled, eligible or ineligible, continue to work together to get the greatest number of people on the water - whether to compete in disabled championships or open competitions, or to enjoy an afternoon of sailing with their friends. The systems are constantly being evaluated and modified to keep up with the evolution of the sport, and interested parties are strongly encouraged to contact the IFDS to get involved in this process. Hopefully questions that arise will promote healthy discussion and lead the way to increasingly novel and successful solutions at all levels.'