General Information on Dwarf Conditions

Dwarf athletes compete in sprint events up to 200 metres. They are also particularly good throwers, enjoying javelin, shot and discus events. There is a Paralympic pathway for some throwing events; Class F40 is the dwarf class for field events at Paralympic level.

Dwarf players in Class 2 play a standard game of badminton to standard rules. Class 1 players play in a half court. This sport is particularly popular with dwarf athletes. There are European and World events to strive for. At international level, there is one class, which is SS6; this requires players to play on a standard court with standard height nets.

Basketball is played to standard rules with standard height nets for 16+ year olds. The under-16s team uses nets at 8’ 6” height.

Basketball is played in leagues at the National Dwarf Games and World Dwarf Games.

This is a sport enjoyed by many dwarf athletes. There is a pan-disability league that dwarf players are welcome to join. DSAuk also runs a national championships every year.

Cycling is fast becoming a more popular sport for dwarfs. There are custom-built bikes and standard models that can be ridden and raced, and a cycling time trial event at the DSAuk National Games.

Football is played to seven-a-side rules using five-a-side goals. There is a successful Great Britain team that competes at the World Dwarf Games, and there are junior and senior leagues played at the DSAuk National Games.

Unihockey is a popular team sport played by both junior and senior players. It is generally only played at the DSAuk National Games.

The powerlift takes the form of a bench press. Dwarf lifters are gifted in this event and can lift many times their own body weight. This is a sport that requires expert coaching and tuition. There is a Paralympic pathway in this event. In general, lifters will need a Velcro strap to safely secure them to the bench.

Swimming is a particularly good sport as it is non-load-bearing on the joints. There are the S6 and S7 classes for dwarf swimmers, and also Paralympic events.

Dwarf players play to standard rules on a standard table. There is a Paralympic route in Class 7, though this is a mixed class with average height players. Table tennis is popular at the National Dwarf Games and World Dwarf Games.

Other sports enjoyed and organised by DSAuk regions include archery, canoeing, climbing, fencing, outward-bound weekends, sailing, shooting, skiing, snowboarding and tenpin bowling. Other sports have also been trialled at taster days.

The National Dwarf Games are generally held on May Day bank holiday over three days, when all the aforementioned sports are played at a competitive level.