Officials Education
IPCH supports the global development of powerchair hockey through education and certification pathways for Technical Delegates, Referees, Jury Members, Referee Observers and Classifiers.
Technical Delegate Education
Technical Delegates play a key role in the full lifecycle of international Powerchair Hockey competitions, from the allocation of hosting rights through to post-event reporting. They oversee and coordinate a wide range of areas, including competition operations, logistics, officials, stakeholder coordination and revenue management, while ensuring compliance with IPCH regulations and organisational standards.
The role requires a broad understanding of both event management and the IPCH regulatory framework, combined with strong organisational and stakeholder management skills.
The Technical Delegate pathway is based on structured on-the-job development. Candidates work alongside experienced Technical Delegates and gain practical experience across the different stages and functions of international competitions before completing the requirements for IPCH certification.
Referee Education
There are two pathways to become an IPCH International Referee, both designed for referees with previous national-level experience or equivalent officiating experience.
International Referee Course: A structured program combining theoretical and practical training, followed by written and on-court assessments.
Referee Development Group (RDG): A mentorship-based pathway for national referees, combining online meetings, video analysis, practical development and ongoing feedback before the final theoretical and practical assessments.
Upon request, the IPCH Referee & Observer Committee can also support national programs through guidance, educational resources and experienced instructors.
Referee Observer Education
Referee Observers observe referee performance and provide constructive feedback to support referees throughout their development.
Observation is based on coaching rather than judging. While Referee Observers also contribute to referee assessment for licensing and progression, their primary role is to encourage learning, build confidence and promote the consistent application of the IPCH Rules of the Game.
The role is open to experienced former referees and individuals with relevant officiating, coaching or referee development experience in Powerchair Hockey or another team sport.
The education pathway combines theoretical learning with practical assessment. Candidates develop skills in match observation, performance analysis, feedback delivery and referee evaluation before completing a practical examination under the supervision of experienced Referee Observers.
Jury Education
IPCH Jury are responsible for the regulatory and operational oversight of international competitions. They help ensure that competitions are conducted fairly, consistently and in accordance with the IPCH Regulations, including competition procedures, official documentation, protests, disciplinary matters and Speed Control operations.
Unlike some other international official roles, becoming a Jury does not require previous experience in the role or as an international official. The pathway is open to people with a good understanding of Powerchair Hockey and an interest in competition management, including former or current players, coaches, team officials and volunteers.
Classifier Education
Classification is fundamental to ensuring fair and meaningful competition in Powerchair Hockey. IPCH Classifiers evaluate athletes in accordance with the IPCH Classification Manual and the IPC Classification Code, assigning Sport Classes based on the impact of an athlete’s eligible impairment on the fundamental activities of the sport.
The IPCH Classifier pathway combines theoretical education, practical training and supervised experience.
IPCH recognises two complementary areas of classifier expertise:
Medical Classifiers: Qualified healthcare professionals with relevant expertise in eligible impairments
Technical Classifiers: Professionals or experienced Powerchair Hockey practitioners with relevant sport-specific expertise.
International Development
Education courses are organized regularly in cooperation with national federations and international tournaments. These programs help develop new officials while continuing to improve the standards of the sport worldwide.
Participants may progress through different certification levels as they gain experience and participate in international events.
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