Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has been awarded two international research grants by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to improve the classification of athletes with vision impairment.
Through these grants, VU Amsterdam will contribute to making Paralympic classification systems fairer, more reliable and more accessible for athletes around the world.
The grants are part of the IPC's Sport for Mobility programme, which is investing a total of €900,000 in six international research projects with support from the Toyota Mobility Foundation. VU Amsterdam is the only institution to receive funding for two projects.
Reliable classification as the foundation of fair competition
In Paralympic sport, classification determines the sport class in which an athlete competes. Accurately assessing the extent to which an impairment affects sporting performance is essential to ensuring fair competition. The two VU Amsterdam projects focus on improving the way athletes' vision is assessed during the classification process.
The first project, Next-generation visual field assessment for classification, will develop new methods to measure visual fields more accurately and efficiently. The second project, The VAI project: AI-enhanced visual acuity testing for accurate and reliable VI classification, will use artificial intelligence to improve the accuracy and consistency of visual acuity testing through a computerised assessment.
Impact within and beyond sport
The new assessment methods aim to ensure that athletes with vision impairment can be classified objectively and consistently across the globe. This will not only strengthen the fairness and credibility of international competitions but also make classification more accessible in countries where specialist expertise or equipment is less readily available.
In addition, the projects will generate new scientific knowledge on the assessment of visual function. These insights may also contribute to the further development of vision testing and digital diagnostic methods beyond the sporting domain.
Human movement scientist David Mann, who leads the projects, says: "We are thrilled to have received funding through the Sport for Mobility programme. These projects will transform the way vision is assessed during classification, making the process fairer and more accessible for athletes with vision impairment around the world."
International recognition
The IPC received a large number of applications from international sport federations and academic institutions during the first round of funding. Ultimately, six projects covering intellectual, physical and vision impairments were selected. The fact that VU Amsterdam will lead two of the six funded projects highlights the university's international position in research on human movement, sport and vision impairment.
The projects will commence in the coming months and will run for up to 31 months.