Winter Paralympics: Para-snowboarders 'too disabled' for Games win battle to compete

Two Para-snowboarders have won an unprecedented legal battle to compete in this year's Winter Paralympics after they were initially blocked because they were «too disabled».

Brenna Huckaby and Cecile Hernandez are long-time rivals on the slopes, but have been united in their fight for equality and inclusion in their sport.

American Huckaby, 25, and France's Hernandez, 47, filed an injunction against the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow them to compete at the Beijing 2022 Games after their disability class was cut.

The IPC removed their class, arguing that there were not enough women competing within it — and so Huckaby and Fernandez wanted instead to compete either against women with a lower level of impairment or against men in their own classification.

Their application was initially rejected in December by the courts in Germany, where the IPC is based, but this ruling was overturned on appeal on Thursday.

The IPC has said it is «extremely surprised and disappointed» at the decision and that it shows «a lack of understanding of the classification system in Paralympic sport».

«We eagerly await the court's written decision because, in our view, the rules for World Para-snowboard could not be clearer: athletes cannot participate in sport classes at the Paralympic Winter Games for which they are not eligible,» said IPC President Andrew Parsons.

«Despite this, the court for whatever reason has dismissed the rulebook and ignored the Beijing 2022 qualification criteria.»

Following the ruling, Huckaby and Hernandez will be able to take part in the Beijing Winter Paralympics, which begin on 4 March, with the Para-snowboarding events starting the following day.

Paralympic sports are separated into categories based on the