Ten participants from Czech Republic, Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, Sweden, Portugal, and Poland gathered in Brno, Czech Republic from 8 to 9 April to learn more about the national classification of the Para players. The workshop was led by the senior international classifier from the BWF, Dr Nevin Guzel.

The National Level 1 Classifier Workshop is open to anyone with an interest in Para badminton and athlete classification — currently, active athletes are unable to attend this workshop. The workshop does not require a background in the field of medicine nor physiotherapy.

The aims and objectives of the National Level 1 Workshop are:

Joao Jorge from Portugal was pleased to attend the workshop. “I really liked the way the theoretical information was passed on. The trainer was very attentive in answering all the questions, and we also discussed opinions with other colleagues. In the practical part, it was excellent to have some athletes to qualify into several categories.”

When asking what the next steps are to develop Para Badminton after this workshop, Ada Lasota from Poland tells: “Next action plan is to collaborate with other healthcare professionals and coaches in my country to raise awareness of the Para badminton classification system and its importance in promoting fair competition. I also plan to attend future Para badminton events to gain more hands-on experience in classification assessments.”