PARALYMPICS Paralympic Council of Ireland Raises Concerns as Athens Paralympic Medalist Derek Malone Deemed Not Disabled Enough to Compete in Beijing

11 Sep 2008


Following a classification ruling by the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CP-ISRA) Irish Paralympic athlete, Derek Malone, bronze medalist from Athens 2004 (800m T38) has been deemed ineligible to compete in Beijing 2008 (Football 7-a-side tournament).


On the evening of Monday September 8th, the Paralympic Council of Ireland (PCI) was notified in writing that Irish Paralympic athlete Derek Malone, was deemed ineligible to participate in the Beijing Paralympic Games in the opinion of the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CP-ISRA) classification team following a classification review during the Ireland v Iran pool game in the 7-a-side football tournament earlier that day.


The CPISRA ruling on Derek's classification deemed that Derek may not participate based upon the 'impact on sport' rule under the CP-ISRA classification guide. The CPISRA ruling stated in Derek's current condition he doesn't meet CPISRA minimal disability criteria.


Cerebral Palsy is an impairment resulting from injury to the developing brain, which results in altered neuromuscular function and can respond to focused planned athletic conditioning and training.


The 'impact on sport' rule states: the athlete may appear to have near normal function when running but the athlete must demonstrate a limitation in function to classifiers based on evidence of spasticity (increased tone), ataxic, athetoid or dystonic movements while performing on the field of play or in training.


Despite the fact that Derek has been ruled ineligible on the basis of the 'impact (of CP) on sport' rule there is still no clear definition of 'impact (of cp) on sport'. Further to that it is unclear as to what the criteria is by which CPISRA assess the 'impact on sport'. As far as can be ascertained the only criteria in relation to the 'impact on sport' ruling is 'in the opinion of the classification team'.


Speaking at the Irish team press conference Derek Malone said: "I'm bitterly disappointed and frustrated by the whole process. I am also disappointed that the team's preparations have been so hampered by this issue at the most important tournament in the last four years for us. It's been a distressing few days and I ask that all queries in relation to the issue are directed to me through the team press officers and not my family at home in Ireland. I would really appreciate the media's co-operation in this regard."


The Paralympic Council of Ireland wishes to state that Paralympic athlete, Derek Malone was medically assessed by a consultant neurologist who has confirmed the presence of signs of a major and minor criteria as per the CPISRA classification manual, in conjunction with increased signs of neurological dysfunction with minimal exercise; in other words a functional impairment with exercise. This assessment is consistent with the opinion of our NPC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joe Conway, a sports and exercise medicine specialist. In Dr. Conway's professional opinion Derek reveals evidence of functional deficits due to his Cerebral Palsy that are having significant effects on his ability to participate as an elite football player.


Secretary General of the Paralympic Council of Ireland Liam Harbison said: "At the heart of this issue is the fact that with this ruling CPISRA are throwing the whole essence of Cerebral Palsy football as elite sport into question."


Harbison continued: "As a model athlete Derek has committed himself to the Paralympic ideal of the pursuit of athletic endeavour and focused on ability rather than disability by dedicated training, and by making the best use of all his skills as a strength and conditioning professional. As a result he is deemed ineligible but it appears to be the case that if he had not pursued his athletic endeavour with such zeal for a significant time period leading into these Games he is more likely to have been classified eligible - that is at odds with the very ethos of high performance sport, which is an issue of concern to all constituents of CP football."


Further to that Harbison added: "The Paralympic Council of Ireland wishes to express its unqualified support for our athlete; Derek Malone, on this issue. We feel he has become a victim of a flawed rule book that hasn't kept sufficient pace with the development of elite Cerebral Palsy sport."


"We also wish to formally acknowledge the incalculable contribution Derek has made to the Paralympic movement in Ireland. Derek is the model athlete in terms of the development of the high performance system for Paralympic athletes in Ireland. We would also like to recognise his outstanding contribution to the development of up and coming Irish Paralympic athletes. The PCI directly employed Derek as our strength and conditioning professional in the lead up to these Games," concluded Harbison.


The stated vision of CPISRA (as detailed on www.cpisra.org) is 'a world where people who have cerebral palsy or a related neurological condition have the opportunity to participate in a sport and recreational activity of their choice.'


Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland in 2003, and the Paralympic Council of Ireland in 2008, have proven that Derek has Cerebral Palsy so how does that CPISRA vision serve Derek now as an athlete with Cerebral Palsy?


To summarise the Paralympic Council of Ireland's concerns about the CPISRA classification process centres around a lack of apparent transparency and raises the following series of questions;

  • How can an athlete classified under the same rules in the sport of athletics and football be eligible to compete in one and not in the other?
  • If Derek is ineligible to compete a number of players from other nations in this tournament have serious question marks over their classification, yet they are competing.
  • What are the criteria by which CPISRA assess the 'impact on sport' rule? It is the opinion of the PCI that skill sets specific to football should be evaluated.
  • With his disability Derek is not able to compete mainstream but as a result of this ruling not disabled enough to compete in CP football so where does this leave Derek?
  • How can CPISRA view CP football as elite if a trainable condition such as CP by virtue of an effective CP management training programme results in the sport governing body (CPISRA) then ruling the athlete is not disabled enough?
  • Can CPISRA find some means to rectify Derek's current position so he can take the field of play for the remainder of this competition?


A letter signed by four of the National Paralympic Committees taking part in the CP football 7-a-side in Beijing; Ukraine, Brazil, Netherlands and Ireland was submitted to CPISRA in advance of the today's Irish press conference in Beijing demanding that



For Further Information contact the press officers to the Irish team: