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If we say Paralympians scale metaphorical mountains, we should add that classifiers make outstanding Sherpas.
It’s an analogy Shail Maharaj uses to describe his role assessing and classifying people with a disability to compete in sport. The classification process utilises many of the skills Maharaj uses in his career as a physiotherapist at the Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service. It draws on his post-graduate studies in Paralympic Classification and now, his years of experience which took him all the way to a stint as Head of Classification for World Boccia.
“The reason I got into it was to help kids understand the pathway to new horizons, so they could get involved in sport and social activity at a participatory level, a social level, but also that they could go all the way to an elite level and actually get to see the world and represent their country,” said Maharaj, who was recently presented a Recognition of Service award at the Paralympics Australia Classifier Conference.
“Classification is your entry pass. If you’re going to a concert or to a conference, you register, sign up but they won’t let you through the door unless you’ve got the entry pass. Classification is that entry pass for people with disability to be able to compete at an elite level and even just to compete against people at their level and get that feeling of success.
“I see myself as a person who can help kids and their families who are going through some of the toughest days in their lives, when they end up in hospital with a catastrophic injury or illness. It’s just about being able to know what that pathway is and to be a Sherpa along that journey.”
To mark Volunteer Week, Paralympics Australia pays tribute to the army of Australians who invest time into an array of activities and responsibilities that keep Para-sport ticking and help Para-athletes climb mountains. All are important and all are appreciated, including those who work in classification, which is the essential foundation of Para-sport’s integrity.
Through his work in classification, Maharaj has opened the door to Para-sport for many, offering them the chance to gain the benefits of participation, including social connection, physical health and, potentially, the chance to reach a high performance pathway and represent Australia.
Among those is Lewis Bishop, who won a bronze medal in the 100 metres butterfly S9 at the Paris Paralympics. Bishop became a leg amputee at age nine. As part of his work with Bishop, Maharaj asked Paralympic swimming champion Brenden Hall – also a leg amputee – to visit Bishop and the pair struck up a friendship. Fast-forward to the Paris Games and the two were teammates on the Australian Paralympic Team.
“To see Lewis be able to compete with Brenden in the same event and watch that all happen was just fantastic, a really big thrill,” Maharaj said.
“I’ve never swam a lap with Brenden or with Lewis, but it’s wonderful to be part of any of those journeys. It really does give me a buzz.”
The Queensland Children’s Hospital senior physiotherapist trained for classification in boccia and football but said he stuck with boccia “because they’re the most impaired athletes out there and it’s great to be able to tell kids like that, and adults as well, that you can still compete at an elite level despite that level of impairment. So, I stuck with one sport, rather than two – also, my wife did say, pick one because you can only do one international competition a year.”
It’s a humorous quip, but the commitment can be substantial.
There’s the seen and unseen work, Maharaj said. “There are the local, state and national competitions that happen here in Australia and I’m gone for a few weeks overseas each year doing international competition.
“But I’d also spend several hours a week looking at provisional classification videos and doing paperwork to help people get an idea of where they might fit in. At other times I might be presenting about classification … there’s a variety of different things that happen.
“I do a four-day working week and my fifth day is often spent doing some classification work to keep promoting how things are going, not just in the sport that I classify in, but just overall. It’s become a real passion of mine.”
Maharaj said the volunteer role was highly rewarding and he urged people with the appropriate skills to investigate how they can help with classification and enable more people with a disability get involved in sport.
“With 2032 happening here in Brisbane there are so many opportunities now to grow participation, which will hopefully feed through into the elite level,” he said.
“I really am excited about increasing the level of participation for all people with physical disability. They don’t all have to go to compete at the Paralympic Games. I hang around the boccia courts and I can see that it’s a great social place to be.”
Being awarded at the Classifier Conference was a surprise, he said, adding that the classifier community is full of people achieving great things.
“There are lots of clever and talented people who’ve got a big heart and it’s great to be able to recognise classifiers because, without understanding how you fit into sport, it’s a bit hard to get that joy that comes from competing and succeeding. Classification really does provide that ability to play on a level playing field.”
Paralympics Australia is a charity organisation. Classification is one of the vital activities funded by your donation. You can show your support here.
By: David Sygall, Paralympics Australia
Published: 19 May 2025
