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Your Complete Decoder for Every Code Across All 6 Winter Paralympic Sports
Last updated: March 3, 2026
Every Paralympic athlete is assigned a code like LW2, SB-LL1, or B3 that indicates their type and level of impairment. This classification system ensures athletes compete against others with similar functional ability — like weight classes in boxing. The system is sport-specific: an athlete's classification in skiing doesn't automatically apply to snowboarding. This guide decodes every classification code used across all 6 winter Paralympic sports at Milano-Cortina 2026.
Every Paralympic classification code follows the same logic: letters identify the impairment category, numbers indicate severity (lower = more severe). Here are the six most common winter codes at a glance:
| Code | Letters | Number | Sport | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LW2 | LW = Locomotor Winter | 2 = single leg, severe (e.g., above-knee amputation) | Alpine, Biathlon, Cross-Country | Skis on 1 ski + 2 outriggers |
| LW10 | LW = Locomotor Winter | 10 = sitting, most severe trunk impairment | Alpine, Biathlon, Cross-Country | Monoski (sit-ski), minimal trunk control |
| B1 | B = Blind | 1 = near-total or total blindness | Para Biathlon, Cross-Country | Auditory targeting system + guide tether |
| AS1 | AS = Alpine Skiing vision | 1 = most severe vision impairment | Para Alpine Skiing | Guide skier with radio headset, new for 2026 |
| SB-LL1 | SB = Snowboard; LL = Lower Limb | 1 = more severe (e.g., above-knee amputation) | Para Snowboard | Sport-specific prosthetic leg common |
| SB-UL | SB = Snowboard; UL = Upper Limb | no number = single arm/hand category | Para Snowboard | Full lower body function, adapted technique |
Paralympic classification groups athletes by functional ability — not by diagnosis — so that the winner is determined by sporting skill, not by who has the least impairment.
Without classification, athletes with mild impairments would always beat athletes with severe impairments, regardless of talent, training, or technique. The analogy to weight classes in boxing is the clearest explanation: just as it would be unfair to pit a flyweight against a heavyweight, it would be unfair to pit a single below-knee amputee against a double above-knee amputee in a skiing race.
Critically, classification is sport-specific. The way an impairment affects alpine skiing is different from how it affects cross-country skiing or snowboarding. An athlete may have one classification in alpine and a different effective performance impact in another sport. That's why each sport has its own classification system and its own set of codes.
The boxing analogy explains the concept well, but there are three key differences:
1. One measure vs many: Boxing uses a single objective measure — body weight. Paralympic classification measures functional ability across multiple dimensions: muscle power, range of movement, balance, coordination, and vision. This requires trained assessors, not just a scale.
2. Sport-specific, not universal: A boxer's weight class applies to all boxing matches. A Paralympic classification is specific to one sport — the same athlete can have different classifications in different sports, because different impairments matter differently in different activities.
3. Three-step process, not one-step: You can't self-classify in Paralympic sport. Every athlete goes through a medical review, physical assessment, and competition observation — because functional ability has to be evaluated, not just measured. This complexity is necessary precisely because Paralympic competition demands more nuance than "how much do you weigh?"
The master reference table for all classification codes across the 6 winter Paralympic sports at Milano-Cortina 2026:
| Sport | Codes | Standing | Sitting | Vision Impaired | Factored Time | Total Classes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Para Alpine Skiing | LW / AS | LW1–LW9 | LW10–LW12 | AS1–AS4 | Yes | ~20 |
| Para Biathlon | LW / B | LW1–LW9 | LW10–LW12 | B1–B3 | Yes | ~14 |
| Para Cross-Country | LW / B | LW1–LW9 | LW10–LW12 | B1–B3 | Yes | ~14 |
| Para Snowboard | SB- | SB-LL1, SB-LL2 | N/A | SB-UL (upper limb) | No | 3 |
| Wheelchair Curling | — | N/A | One class | N/A | No | 1 |
| Para Ice Hockey | — | N/A | One class | N/A | No | 1 |
The IPC recognizes 10 types of eligible impairments across all Paralympic sports. Not every sport includes all 10 — winter sports primarily involve physical and vision impairments.
| Type | Description | Winter Sports |
|---|---|---|
| Impaired muscle power | Reduced force generated by muscles (e.g., spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy) | Yes |
| Impaired passive range of movement | Restricted joint movement (e.g., arthrogryposis, joint contractures) | Yes |
| Limb deficiency | Total or partial absence of bones or joints (e.g., amputation, congenital deficiency) | Yes |
| Leg length difference | Significant difference in leg length due to bone shortening or deficiency | Yes |
| Short stature | Reduced standing height due to shortened limbs or trunk (e.g., dwarfism) | Yes |
| Hypertonia | Abnormal increase in muscle tension (e.g., cerebral palsy, stroke, brain injury) | Yes |
| Ataxia | Uncoordinated movements from neurological conditions (e.g., cerebral palsy, brain injury) | Yes |
| Athetosis | Involuntary slow movements (e.g., cerebral palsy, brain injury) | Yes |
| Vision impairment | Reduced or absent vision (e.g., retinal conditions, optic nerve damage) | Yes |
| Intellectual impairment | Significant limitation in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior | No (not in winter) |
Every Paralympic athlete must go through a multi-step classification process:
Step 1: Medical Review — A panel of 2–3 trained classifiers reviews the athlete's medical documentation, including diagnosis, medical history, and imaging. This establishes the underlying impairment and confirms eligibility.
Step 2: Physical/Technical Assessment — Classifiers conduct standardized tests to measure how the impairment affects sport-specific movements. For skiing: measurements of range of motion, muscle strength, balance, and coordination.
Step 3: Observation in Competition — The athlete is observed during actual competition to verify that their performance aligns with their classified impairment level. This is critical for detecting intentional misrepresentation (athletes deliberately underperforming during assessment to receive a more favorable classification).
Classification Status:
Reclassification is possible if the athlete's condition changes (progressive conditions), new evidence emerges, or a formal protest is upheld.
The LW (Locomotor Winter) system covers athletes across alpine skiing, biathlon, and cross-country skiing.
Standing Classes (LW1–LW9):
Sitting Classes (LW10–LW12):
Vision Impaired:
All vision impaired athletes compete with mandatory guide athletes. In alpine, guides ski ahead giving verbal commands via radio headset. In cross-country, guides are tethered to the athlete by a short cord.
Full coverage: Para Alpine Skiing · Para Nordic Skiing · Para Snowboard · Wheelchair Curling · Para Ice Hockey · 2026 Hub
Para snowboard uses the simplest classification: just 3 categories based on limb impairment:
Unlike skiing, para snowboard does not use factored time — each classification has its own separate medal event, so there's no need to adjust times between classes.
Full coverage: Para Alpine Skiing · Para Nordic Skiing · Para Snowboard · Wheelchair Curling · Para Ice Hockey · 2026 Hub
The classification system, while essential, is not without controversy:
Intentional Misrepresentation — The most serious issue. Some athletes have been accused of deliberately underperforming during classification assessments to receive a more favorable classification. This is considered the equivalent of doping in Paralympic sport. High-profile cases have led to stricter observation protocols.
Subjectivity of Assessment — While classifiers follow standardized protocols, there is inevitably some subjectivity in evaluating how an impairment affects function. Two panels might classify the same athlete differently, leading to protests and appeals.
Progressive Conditions — Athletes with conditions that change over time (such as multiple sclerosis or degenerative eye conditions) face the uncertainty of potential reclassification.
Borderline Athletes — Athletes on the boundary between two classes face difficult situations. Being classified one level up can mean competing against athletes with significantly less impairment.
Despite these challenges, the classification system remains the foundation of fair Paralympic competition. The IPC continues to invest in research, training, and technology to improve accuracy and consistency.
If you're interested in how classification works beyond winter sports:
Athletics (Track & Field) uses T (Track) and F (Field) prefixes followed by numbers: T11–T13 (vision), T20 (intellectual), T31–T38 (coordination), T40–T46 (limb), T51–T57 (wheelchair). The number indicates the sport class within each impairment group.
Swimming uses S (Freestyle/Backstroke/Butterfly), SB (Breaststroke), SM (Individual Medley) prefixes. S1 = most severe, S14 = least severe. Because different strokes use different body movements, an athlete may have different classifications for different strokes.
Wheelchair Basketball uses a unique point system (1.0–4.5). Each player is assigned a point value based on functional ability. Teams must field 5 players whose total points don't exceed 14.0, forcing strategic lineup decisions.
Boccia uses BC1–BC4 classes for athletes with severe impairments affecting all four limbs. BC3 athletes use a ramp to direct the ball.
Every summer sport has its own system, just as every winter sport does. The principle is always the same: group athletes by functional ability so that talent, not impairment level, determines the winner.