Swimmer's Guide to Swimming South Africa Para Swimming All Ages 2025/26

World Para Swimming (IPC) sport classes:

For vision classes, 11 is the most severe and 13 the least. S/SB11 swimmers must wear blackened goggles and use a tapper; S/SB12 and 13 swimmers may choose whether to use a tapper.

SSA programmes and qualifying times also include a class 15 (events run S1-S15); class 15 is not one of the World Para Swimming sport classes above.

Classification puts swimmers into sport classes according to the impact their impairment has on swimming, under the World Para Swimming Classification Rules and Regulations.

• For physical impairments, classifiers assess all functional body structures using a point system and ask the swimmer to complete a water assessment. The total points decide the swimmer's S and SB classes.
• During the technical assessment, the classification panel also allocates any codes of exception (for example a one-hand start or a tapper).
• International classification is offered at competitions World Para Swimming selects, before the competition starts. A swimmer who hasn't been assessed by a World Para Swimming classification panel isn't eligible for the Paralympic Games, World Para Swimming Championships or World Para Swimming Sanctioned Competitions, unless the event's qualification criteria say otherwise.
• Protests and appeals about classification follow the World Para Swimming Classification Rules, not the general protest rules.

Under the SSA 2025-2026 competition rules, World Para Swimming rules apply whenever para events are held at national competitions.

SA Nationals qualifying times are published by event and class. In the 2026 table, each qualifying time is 1.35 times the class world record listed beside it (for example women's 50 m freestyle S10: world record 27.37, QT 36.95).

Para swimmers may take part at Level 3 or SA Nationals, depending on which they qualify for.

Codes of exception are exceptions that a classification panel can allocate to a swimmer because of the nature of their impairment, during the technical assessment (World Para Swimming Rules, Appendix One). Officials then apply the rules with those exceptions.

Numbered codes by stroke: the rules allow only these per stroke: freestyle, none; backstroke, only "1"; butterfly, only "4", "5" and "7"; breaststroke, only "2", "3", "7", "8", "9", "12" and "+".

To change a code, a medical review request must be made under the World Para Swimming Classification Rules; any reassessment is only to identify the codes.

Under the World Para Swimming Rules (Rules 11.1 and 11.3), the normal dive or in-water start applies, with these options:

Dive-start events (freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, IM starting with butterfly)

• Swimmers with a vision impairment may orientate themselves on the long whistle before "take your marks".
• Swimmers with balance problems may be steadied on the block by one support staff member (holding hips, hand or arm), but not held beyond vertical, and no momentum may be given.
• With one or no fully functional leg, you may have a hand or part of the arm at the front of the block instead of a foot.
• You may be permitted to start beside the block, sitting on the block, or in the water (one hand in contact with the starting place until the signal; no standing on the gutter or bottom).
• S/SB/SM1-3 swimmers starting in the water may have their feet or lower limbs held to the wall by support staff until the signal.
• A swimmer who can't grip in a water start may use support staff or an approved starting device, with some part of the body touching the wall until the signal.
• One layer of towel may be placed on the block to prevent abrasion.

Backstroke starts

• If you can't hold both grips, you may hold with one hand; if you can't hold either, you may hold the end of the pool; if you can't do that, support staff or an approved starting device may help.

In every case, giving momentum at the start is not allowed. Some options depend on the codes of exception on your classification record (for example "1" one-hand start, "E" unable to grip, "Y" starting device, "A" assistance).

A tapper is a support staff member who warns a swimmer with a vision impairment that they're approaching the wall, by tapping them once or twice with an approved tapping device (World Para Swimming Rule 10.8.3).

• If tapping is needed at both ends, there must be two tappers, one at each end.
• All tapping devices must be approved in advance and deemed safe (construction and length) by World Para Swimming.
• In 800 m and 1500 m events, the Inspector of Turns tells the tapper at 15 m and two lengths before the finish, and the tapper lets the swimmer know they're starting the last two lengths.
• In relays, the tapper may also tell the swimmer about changeovers and their position; an extra tapper may be needed.

Use of a tapper is one of the codes of exception ("T") recorded at classification.

Under World Para Swimming Rule 11.8.8, swimmers in sport classes S11, SB11 and SM11 must wear opaque (blackened-in) goggles in competition, unless they have prosthetics in both eyes.

• If your facial structure won't support goggles, you must cover your eyes with an opaque covering instead.
• Goggles are checked at the finish of the event.
• If the goggles accidentally fall off during the dive or break during the race, you are not disqualified.

No. Under the World Para Swimming Rules and Regulations (February 2026), Rule 11.8.9, no athlete may use a prosthesis (except an ocular prosthesis) or orthoses during the race.

Help at the start is allowed in other ways, for example one support staff member may steady a swimmer with balance problems on the block, and swimmers in classes S/SB/SM1-3 may have their feet held to the wall for a water start, provided no momentum is given.