Why is there no Paralympic Sailing at Paris 2024?

If you're anything like me, you'll have been eagerly watching on screen and cheering on Paralympians. Despite featuring in previous games, there's sadly no upcoming Paralympic sailing. However, there are forthcoming inclusive sailing events elsewhere.

Sadly, no Paralympic sailing will be on our screens between the August 28 to September 8 Paralympic Games. With so many other Paralympic events making the cut, I was left wondering why sailing missed out on a spot at Paris 2024.

Paralympic sailing debuted in Atlanta 1996 as a demonstration sport and gained full status in Sydney 2000. Paralympic Sailing remained in the Paralympics until its last appearance at the Paralympic Games in Rio 2016.

Why isn’t there Paralympic sailing?

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said it removed sailing due to its lack of global reach and competitors’ participation.

In 2015, the IPC commented sailing ‘did not fulfil the IPC Handbook’s minimum criteria for worldwide reach.’ According to the IPC Handbook, the IPC only considered teams broadly and regularly practising a sport in at least 24 countries and three IPC regions. For individual sports, the requirements were a minimum of 32 countries in three IPC regions. Sadly, sailing fell short.

In 2015, Sir Philip Craven, IPC President until 2017, said, ‘To reach this decision, the IPC undertook the most extensive and rigorous review process ever of all the sports which started in November 2013.’

Our next hope to see sailing at the Paralympics is Brisbane 2032, with the IPC saying the sport will miss out on LA 2028. There’s already a campaign underway from Australian Sailing to see the Aussies reinstate the sport at their home Paralympics. Australian Sailing’s CEO Ben Houston promised, ‘We will work with World Sailing to promote Diversity and Inclusion and want to see sailing reinstated for the Brisbane 2032 Paralympics.’

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Response from Paralympic sailing community

As you might expect, those in the Paralympic sailing world protested the IPC axing the sport.

Legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox Johnson responded after the IPC announced their decision, saying he has ‘a very personal connection to Paralympic sailing.’ Sir Knox Johnson explained, ‘In 1995, I was able to persuade the Sports Lottery to fund the UK with money to buy two of the Sonar class keelboats in readiness for sailing’s first ever inclusion in a Paralympic games in 1996 in Atlanta. The UK team went on to win the gold medal.

‘Although it was only a demonstration event, it proved to the International Paralympic Committee sailing was not only a truly fully inclusive sport, but the sailors who took part from around the world are true athletes. Since then I have followed every Paralympic games and watched with amazement as these incredible athletes sail their boats to the highest of standards. I would be proud to sail with any one of them.’

Sailor Geoff Holt MBE, who lobbied for the original inclusion of sailing in the 1996 Paralympics, responded to the IPC excluding sailing by stating on his website, ‘These athletes are more than just sailors, they are role models. As a disabled person myself, we need role models who we can identify with. Role models inspire the next generation of sailors, be they just recreational sailors or whether they choose to be competitive and who knows, ultimately represent their country.

‘This has all gone now. There will be no more sailing role models. Grassroots sailing will suffer as fewer disabled people choose it as a sport of choice. I am totally heartbroken for everyone involved.’

Geoff Holt explained his passion for the sport’s inclusion, ‘I was Chairman and member of the Royal Yachting Association’s (RYA) Paralympic Steering Group (PSG), which oversaw the selection of our Paralympic sailors in the UK.’

Australian Sailing’s CEO Ben Houston commented, ‘Our Paralympic sailors have won Gold for Australia and have been an inspiration to the nation,’ … ‘The decision not to reinstate sailing in the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 was a setback for the next generation of young Para Sailors in Australia who won’t have the chance to represent Australia at the Games.’

Speaking out on 23 January 2023, the day the IPC announced they wouldn’t include sailing at LA 2028, World Sailing CEO David Graham said, ‘We fully respect the verdict of the IPC and recognise the difficulty the IPC Board faced throughout this process. However, we must also acknowledge that this is an extremely disappointing day for our whole sport and, particularly, Para Sailors around the world.

‘We know a life on water unlocks so many opportunities for disabled people, we know how inclusive Para Sailing is, and we are determined that Para Sailing will continue to go from strength to strength.’

Inclusive sailing events go from ‘strength-to-strength’ elsewhere

Despite the disappointment of not having Paralympic sailing, World Sailing states, ‘Para Sailing is open to athletes with many types of physical, sensory, or intellectual impairments, including high support needs athletes.’

The organisation has a once-every-four-year competition calendar of Para Inclusive events for delivering Para Inclusive disciplines at the World Sailing Championships in Valencia in 2026 and Gdynia in 2027.

And if you don’t want to wait that long, from 30th September to 3rd October 2024 Rutland Sailing Club is hosting the RS Venture Connect World Championship and the International Inclusive Keelboat Championship on England’s largest reservoir, Rutland Water.

RS Venture Connect World Championship

In a genuinely inclusive move, the 2024 RS Venture Connect World Championship features a new ‘Open’ category, offering participation by all, including non-disabled teams.  The 2024 World Championship features a World Sailing-approved ‘Para’ category for teams of two sailors both with World Sailing Minimal Disability (MD) Para Classification status at the time of the event.

The classification process works by allocating sailors according to a points system. Points range from 1 to 7, with 7 indicating the least severe eligible impairment and one the most acute. For example, sailors who are classed as quadriplegic receive 1 point, whereas those with a single below-knee amputation without a prosthesis (excluding Syme’s Amputation or equivalent) get 7 points.

This event uses modular boat adaptations, allowing retrofitting changes to suit various sailing styles due to disability. In these vessels, all controls lead towards the cockpit. They also have a weighted keel and masthead float, the latter giving self-righting for added safety. 

‘For sailing to be truly inclusive and for disabled sailors to feel that they are not being treated differently to those sailors without disabilities, we need to ensure that everyone can sail and compete side-by-side, with the equipment being the ‘leveller’ and not the disability,’ commented Dan Jaspers, Manufacturer Representative for the RS Venture Connect Class.

International Inclusive Keelboat Championship

New for 2024, the International Inclusive Keelboat Championship involves racing on a one-design keelboat; the RS21. As part of the wider RS Venture Connect World Championship, this event is for sailors whose impairment doesn’t meet the Para Classification ‘Minimal Disability’ (MD) criteria.

All sailors will compete in identical RS21s, which British Marine said are becoming more popular due to lending themselves to close, tactical racing prowess. ‘Success on the racecourse, therefore, is determined by the skill and strategy of the crew rather than the difference in equipment.’

Hannah Stodel, Para World Sailing Manager at World Sailing, said, ‘As we step forward into a new World Sailing strategy that focuses on inclusivity, it is really positive to see classes like the RS21 embracing this new direction, putting in fantastic efforts to support and grow inclusive sailing through their class activities.’ 

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