Golf Australia and the International Golf Federation (IGF) have announced a major milestone for para-golf, designating the 2026 Australian All Abilities Championship as the first IGF Counting Event to operate under the IGF’s new Classification Rules and Sport Classes.
This decision is seen as a direct and significant step toward achieving Paralympic Games inclusion for golf at Brisbane 2032.
IGF Chairman Guy Kinnings confirmed the strategic importance of the designation, stating, “Golf Australia has been an outstanding partner in helping us take this important step toward our Paralympic ambition… We are ambitious about golf becoming part of the Paralympic Games.” He also highlighted the sport’s global reach, with over 38,000 courses worldwide, as a powerful vehicle for the Paralympic movement.
Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland expressed pride, noting, “Australia is proud to host the first IGF Counting Event under the new Classification Rules.” He added that contributing directly to a potential Paralympic Games as the host nation is “one of the most significant milestones for the sport.”
The 2026 Championship (dates and venue TBC) will be the first global competition to classify athletes under the new system, which aligns with the 2025 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Classification Code. This move is the culmination of close work between the IGF and the IPC to refine the sport’s classification framework, mandatory for building the global athlete pool required for Paralympic inclusion.
Dual Paralympian and para-golfer Alexandra Viney emphasized the social impact, stating that inclusion would “open doors for so many people and show what’s possible in a truly inclusive sport.”
SOURCE: International Golf Foundation
