ICF Paracanoe Committee activities Q4 2025

Classifier Course in Japan 

The last three months of October has been a very busy time for Paracanoe. October started off with the Level Three Classifier Course in Komatsu, JPN.  There were 14 participants from seven nations: China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand and Panama.  The course was conducted by Yann LeCarrer, Dr. Zoltan Bejak and John Edwards.   

Classification and Brisbane 2032 

Throughout November work was done on the Self-audit and Compliance Plan for the ParaCanoe Classification Code to bring it into alignment with the IPC’s new 2025 Classification Code.  At the end of November, the Classification sub-Committee met in Stockholm for three days to review the plan and to discuss the past year and plans for the future.  We met Mike Okuba who will be the new staff member supporting Paracanoe in 2026 and beyond. Mike has a background in Para athletics.  The Final Compliance Plan was submitted to the IPC on November 30.  In this same period the Sport Application for Brisbane 2032 was worked upon.  The Submission is strong and shows 48 nations competing in Paracanoe and another 13 showing signs of national and development activity.  The Brisbane 2032 application was submitted on December 15. 

IPC-funded Project and Paralympic Qualification 

We received funding from IPC to run an “Arabic-speaking national” Level 3 Classification Course and a Development Workshop in Cairo, Egypt. A total of 15 participants from six nations participated: Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Sudan and Djibouti.  In addition, the Presidents of the Somali and the Palestinian Canoe Federation attended on the last day of the workshop.  Finally, and very importantly, a new qualification system has been developed by the ICF Qualification Working Group.  The new system which will feature a multi-year and multi-competition world ranking system was supported by the Board of Directors on Decemeber 11.  It has been formally submitted as the ICF recommended qualification to the IPC for their review and, ultimately, their approval. 

By John Edwards, Chair of the ICF Paracanoe Committee