section_path: Categories
section_name: Categories
paragraph_text: Categories
  
  The significant variation in people's abilities in the sport of athletics has led to the creation of numerous competitive categories, in order that athletes are pitted against rivals of a similar kind or ability, and to include groups of people who would otherwise not be competitive in open-to-all events. The eligibility of athletes for a given category is occasionally a source of controversy among the sport's participants, officials and spectators, with disputes typically being rooted in deliberate cheating in order to gain a competitive advantage or differing cultural perspectives over the eligibility of a category.
  
  Beyond the primary categories based on physical attributes, some competitions have further eligibility criteria based on nationality, community membership or occupation.