Introduction of Blind Athletic

Athletics rules for Paralympics are based on the IAAF Competition Rules, the IPC Athletics Rules and Regulations and the IBSA rules. All these rules contain specifications on medical and functional classification, assistance equipment and competition technology. As there are many categories of disabilities, each event includes a great variety of teams, which further leads to the complexity of organisation and the particularity of regulations concerning competition technology.

Track Events

1. Visually impaired athletes classified as T11 should wear opaque glasses or other substitutes during the competition.
2. Visually impaired athletes of the T11 and T12 classes should enter the competition area with their guide-runners and finish the match under their assistance. Each visually impaired athlete is allocated 2 lanes and all guide-runners must wear vests of the same colour provided by the organising committee to help distinguish them from the athletes.
3. The method of guidance is up to the athlete. He or she can choose to be guided by the rope or by his or her guide-runner’s words. The athlete and the guide runner are viewed as a collective. When the athlete gets to the finishing line, the guide-runner should be behind him. With either method of guidance, the distance between the athlete and his or her guide-runner should be within 0.5 metres. In events of 400 metres and above, two guide-runners are allowed for the same athlete.
4. T11 athletes can use acoustic signals during the event but should not visually modify the facilities with paint, chalk, powder, cones or flags. The audience must remain completely quiet during events with acoustic aids (e.g., long jump). T12 and T13 athletes are allowed to modify the facilities and T12 athletes can use acoustic signals.
5. For T11 and T12 athletes participating in road running events (marathon for example), a maximum of 4 guide-runners are allowed and substitution should be at the 10-km, 20-km and 30-km marks. Services for athletes and guide-runners are provided at water stops.

Classification of Athletes

(1) Athletes with visual impairment

 Track and field athletes who are visually impaired are classified into 3 classes. Athletes in class 11 have no light perception at all in either eye and are totally blind; athletes in class 12 have the ability to recognise the shape of a hand or have vision of below 0.03 and/or visual field of less than 5 degrees; athletes in class 13 have vision of above 0.03 to 0.1 and/or visual field of 5 to 20 degrees. All athlete evaluation should be based on the assessment of visual acuity while wearing best optical correction.