LA1 is a Les Autres sport classification is an wheelchair sport classification for a sportsperson with a disability that impacts their locomotor function. People in this class have severe locomotor issues with all four limbs as a result of loss of muscle strength or spasticity. This also impacts their dominant throwing arm. They also have poor sitting balance.

Internationally, governance for this sport is handled by IWAS, following the 2005 merger of ISMWSF and ISOD. Classification is handled nationally by relevant national organizations. Sports they can participate in include sitting volleyball, powerlifting, athletics, archery, and equestrian.

Definition edit

LAF1 is an Les Autres sports classification.[1] Sportspeople in this class use wheelchairs on a regular basis as a result of reduced muscle function.[2] ACSM's Primary Care Sports Medicine defines LAF1 as a medical class as "[s]evere involvement of the four limbs -- for example, MS, muscular dystrophy (MD), juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) with contractures" As a functional class, ACSM's Primary Care Sports Medicine defines LAF1 as "use of wheelchair with reduced function of muscle strength and/or spasticity in throwing arm, and poor sitting balance."[3] Medically, this class includes people with severe multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with contractures. This means they have severe issues with all four limbs. In terms of functional classification, this means the sportsperson uses a wheelchair, has poor sitting balance and has reduced strength or spasticity in their throwing arm.[4] For the 1984 Summer Paralympics, LAF1 was defined by the Games organizers as, "Wheelchair bound. Reduced functions of muscle strength, and/or spasticity in throwing arm. Poor sitting balance."[5]

Sportspeople with muscular dystrophy in this class have a number of factors that can make sports participation difficult. This includes poor pulmonary function, and potentially having restrictive lung disease values.[3]

Governance edit

Les Autres sport classification was originally created and then governed by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD).[6][7][8][9] Currently, classification is overseen by IWAS,[10][11] having taken over this role following the 2005 merger of ISMWSF and ISOD.[12][13]

National sport organizations handle classification on the national level. In the United Kingdom, this is the British Amputee and Les Autres Sports Association.[14][15][16] In the United States, this is the United States Les Autres Sports Association.[3] The classification system used in the United States has generally matched the international norms, though in track in field there have been five wheelchair classes and five ambulatory classes for Les Autres sportspeople.[17] In Australia, Wheelchair Sports Australia was the governing body for classification for Les Autres sportspeople,[18] with Disability Sports Australia taking over the role following the 2003 merger of Australian Sports Organisation for the Disabled (ASOD), Cerebral Palsy Australian Sports and Recreation Federation (CPASRF) and Wheelchair Sports Australia (WSA).[19]

Sports edit

Athletics edit

In athletics, LAF1 competitors compete in F51, F52 and F53 events. F51, F52 and F53 are wheelchair athletics classes.[1][20][21][22] They have functionality issues in throwing events as a result of mobility issues or spasticity in their throwing arm.[2] At the 1984 Summer Paralympics, LAF1, LAF2 and LAF3 track athletes had the 60 meters and 400 meter distances on the program.[5] There was a large range of sportspeople with different disabilities in this class at the 1984 Summer Paralympics.[5]

Other sports edit

This sport is open to swimmers from this class. For swimming with the most severe disabilities at the 1984 Summer Paralympics, floating devices and a swimming coach in the water swimming next to the Paralympic competitor were allowed.[5] Les Autres competitors can also participate in sitting volleyball. In the past, the sport had a classification system and they were assigned to one of these classes. The rules were later changed to be inclusive of anyone, including Les Autres players, who meet the minimum disability requirement.[23][24] Powerlifting is another sport open to people from this class where they compete against others with minimal disability requirements and are segregated based on weight.[24][25] Para-equestian is open to people from this class. Because they use a wheelchair chair, LAF3 riders may be in Grade 1. This grade is typically for people with cerebral palsy, les autres and spinal cord injuries who have severe levels of disability.[26] Archery is another option. LAF1 classified athletes compete in ARW1.[26][27]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY". Queensland Sport. Queensland Sport. Archived from the original on April 4, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Consejo Superior de Deportes (2011). Deportistas sin Adjectivos (PDF) (in European Spanish). Spain: Consejo Superior de Deportes. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-04. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  3. ^ a b c McKeag, Douglas; Moeller, James L. (2007-01-01). ACSM's Primary Care Sports Medicine. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 9780781770286.
  4. ^ MD, Michael A. Alexander; MD, Dennis J. Matthews (2009-09-18). Pediatric Rehabilitation: Principles & Practices, Fourth Edition. Demos Medical Publishing. ISBN 9781935281658.
  5. ^ a b c d Broekhoff, Jan (1986-06-01). The 1984 Olympic Scientific Congress proceedings: Eugene, Ore., 19-26 July 1984 : (also: OSC proceedings). Human Kinetics Publishers. ISBN 9780873220064.
  6. ^ "ritgerd". www.ifsport.is (in Icelandic). Archived from the original on 2016-05-05. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
  7. ^ Richter, Kenneth J.; Adams-Mushett, Carol; Ferrara, Michael S.; McCann, B. Cairbre (1992). "lntegrated Swimming Classification : A Faulted System" (PDF). Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly. 9: 5–13. doi:10.1123/apaq.9.1.5. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  8. ^ Rehabilitation World. Rehabilitation International USA. 1984-01-01.
  9. ^ Shephard, Roy J. (1990-01-01). Fitness in special populations. Human Kinetics Books. ISBN 9780873222709.
  10. ^ "About IWAS". Int'l Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation. Int'l Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
  11. ^ "Other Sports". Int'l Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation. Int'l Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
  12. ^ KOCCA (2011). "장애인e스포츠 활성화를 위한 스포츠 등급분류 연구" [Activate e-sports for people with disabilities: Sports Classification Study] (PDF). KOCCA (in Korean). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-17.
  13. ^ Andrews, David L.; Carrington, Ben (2013-06-21). A Companion to Sport. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118325285.
  14. ^ DePauw, Karen P.; Gavron, Susan J. (2005-01-01). Disability Sport. Human Kinetics. ISBN 9780736046381.
  15. ^ Thomas, Nigel (2002). "Sport and Disability" (PDF). pp. 105–124. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  16. ^ Vickerman, Philip (2007-01-24). Teaching Physical Education to Children with Special Educational Needs. Routledge. ISBN 9781134168460.
  17. ^ Winnick, Joseph P. (2011-01-01). Adapted Physical Education and Sport. Human Kinetics. ISBN 9780736089180.
  18. ^ Houbolt, Mirjam; Denman, Karen (1998-01-01). Coaching Athletes with Cerebral Palsy. Australian Sports Commission. ISBN 9780642263445.
  19. ^ "About DSA". Disability Sports Australia. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  20. ^ Consejo Superior de Deportes (2011). Deportistas sin Adjectivos (PDF) (in European Spanish). Spain: Consejo Superior de Deportes. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-04. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  21. ^ "IPC Athletics Classification Explained - Scottish Disability Sport". www.scottishdisabilitysport.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  22. ^ International Paralympic Committee (June 2009). "IPC Athletics Classification Project for Physical Impairments: Final Report - Stage 1" (PDF). International Paralympic Committee Governing Committee Reports.
  23. ^ "Paralympics categories explained". ABC News. 2008-09-03. Retrieved 2016-07-31.
  24. ^ a b Davis, Ronald W. (2011-01-01). Teaching Disability Sport: A Guide for Physical Educators. Human Kinetics. ISBN 9780736082587.
  25. ^ Consejo Superior de Deportes (2011). Deportistas sin Adjectivos (PDF) (in European Spanish). Spain: Consejo Superior de Deportes. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-04. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  26. ^ a b "Paralympics: What Do The Categories Mean?". Leading Britain's Conversation. Leading Britain's Conversation. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  27. ^ "Paralympic Archery - overview, rules and classification | British Paralympic Association". British Paralympic Association. Archived from the original on 2016-07-24. Retrieved 2016-07-31.