Background: To compete in Para sport, athletes must have an eligible impairment of sufficient severity to meet the sport`s minimum impairment criteria. Since 1992, Para swimming has used a Functional Classification System, however, the effectiveness and fairness of this system have been questioned and research is needed to develop a more evidence-informed process. Aim: this paper outlines approaches to conducting classification research, summarises progress made to date, and identifies areas for future research. Methods: two distinct methodological approaches are required: 1) developing objective, standardised tests of impairment - these should provide valid, ratio-scaled measures specific to the impairment of interest, e.g., strength, motor coordination, range of motion (ROM). Severity of impairment is determined by comparison with measures from non-disabled individuals. 2) establishing the relationship between impairment and determinants of swimming performance - this involves measuring key performance variables, e.g., drag, propulsion, and then determining how these, and their association with performance, are influenced by the type/severity/location of impairment. Results: Strength: the consensus is that tests should incorporate multi-joint measures of maximal isometric force in swimming -specific positions. Further work is required to assess the strength-performance relationship and the relative importance of each joint. Motor coordination: Upper limb tapping tasks show significant associations with performance in individuals with hypertonia. Research using IMUs and sEMG demonstrates that movement variability and smoothness are important metrics for assessing coordination impairment. Joint ROM: research is limited but indicates weak associations between current classification system ROM thresholds and actual ROMs used during swimming. Drag and Propulsion: the effect of central motor and neuromuscular impairments on the drag/propulsion-performance relationships is different to the effect of anthropometric impairments, supporting the view that these groups should compete separately. Conclusions: further research is essential to support the development of a more evidence-informed classification system for Para swimming.
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