IFCPF classification committee meet about new research on evidence-based classification

The classification committee continues with their work, looking forward to the 2022 competitions, updating the classification rules, classifiers training and research on evidence-based and sports-specific classification. 

The classification committee concluded the first meeting of 2021, on the 17th march, with Raúl Reina, Joanne Morrel, Jorge Parra, Jaime Antunes, José Coy, and Matías Henríquez members of the board. The main topics were the actualization of the personnel composition of the Committee, Covid-19 issues, update of classification rules, update of the classifiers training online course, and research and dissemination actions.

Because of the last decision to suspend the IFCPF tournaments, the classification committee emphasized that it is critically important to strengthen the classification research and develop educational resources for all interest members adapted to the new competition calendar and shorter Paralympic cycle.

Along with this, three new research publications on CP-football are available in the scientific literature:

1-      Dynamic and Static Stability in Para‐Athletes with Cerebral Palsy Considering their Impairment Profile, authored by Raul Reina, David Barbado, Héctor Hernández‐Davó, and Alba Roldan

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2-      Performance Analysis in Football-Specific Tests by Para-Footballers With Cerebral Palsy: Implications for Evidence-Based Classification, authored by Javier Yanci, Daniel Castillo, Aitor Iturricastillo, Astrid Aracama, Alba Roldan, and Raúl Reina.

3-      Time−Motion Characteristics and Physiological Responses of Para-Footballers With Cerebral Palsy in Two Small-Sided Games and a Simulated Game, authored by Matías Henríquez, Aitor Iturricastillo, Arturo González-Olguín, Felipe Herrera, Sonny Riquelme, and Raul Reina.

These studies provide novel information regarding the assessment of para-footballers during the classification process, exploring the balance impairment, the association between football-specific tests and competitive background, and comparing two formats of small-sided games and a simulated game.

These works were carried out with multiple support institutions such as the International Paralympic Committee, IFCPF, Miguel Hernandez University (Spain), Vasque Country University (Spain), University Isabel I (Spain), and Diego Portales University (Chile).

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