Abstract
In January 2007, the International Network for the Advancement of Paralympic Sport through Science (INAPSS) steering committee was established. INAPSS is an initiative of the International Paralympic Committee Sports Science Committee (IPC SSC) and the steering committee comprises people from most IPC World zones. INAPSS is a structure through which IPC SSC can ensure that important Paralympic sport science questions are addressed by experienced researchers who will provide quality answers. The geographically diverse membership of INAPSS guarantees an international and multicultural perspective and permits recruitment of comparatively large samples. In this way, IPC SSC and INAPSS are complementary in their tasks. A number of projects have been initiated and are described below. Boosting in Paralympic Sport: "Boosting" refers to deliberate inducement of autonomic dysreflexia by athletes with high spinal cord injuries in order to enhance athletic performance. Boosting is extremely dangerous and IPC SSC has secured funding through the World Anti-Doping Agency to investigate the prevalence and attitude of athletes to its use. Data will be questionnaire-based and INAPSS partners have contributed to the design, distribution and analysis and results will inform a position statement on the practice of boosting in Paralympic Sport. Evidence-based Classification in Paralympic Athletics: IPC Athletics has endorsed a project that will develop evidence-based methods for classifying athletes based on the extent of activity limitation resulting from impairment or, in other words, athletes are classified according to how much impairment impacts athletic performance (Tweedy, 2002). A large, multi-continental sample of athletes with disabilities is required and INAPSS partners will make a vital contribution to this effort. Wheelchair Rugby: Identification of player motion characteristics during competitive wheelchair rugby games can be used to enhance coaching and training practices. Time-motion data has been collected by INAPSS partners during an international tournament in USA, and additional data will be collected during the Beijing Paralympic Games. INAPSS partners are also working to standardize fitness and skills testing protocols for wheelchair rugby players. These projects indicate that, thus far, the INAPSS initiative has been successful although the true value of the network must be evaluated over a longer time period. INAPSS will continue to work toward the primary goals of optimizing sport performance in athletes with disabilities and addressing a variety of sport science issues to help drive the Paralympic Movement forward.