Virtus Welcomes Dr. Suzie Lemmey and Dr. Hadi Hadizadeh As Eligibility Managers

Virtus is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Suzie Lemmey and Dr. Mohammad Hadi Hadizadeh as our new Eligibility Managers, strengthening our eligibility system for athletes with an intellectual impairment.

The Eligibility Manager role is central to the delivery of Virtus’ athlete eligibility process. Working alongside the Head of Eligibility and the Eligibility Committee, Suzie and Hadi will ensure that Virtus continues to uphold the highest standards of integrity, compliance, and athlete support.

Both Suzie and Hadi have been working with Virtus voluntarily and with athletes with an intellectual impairment for more than a decade now, and will be adding great value to the Virtus management team.

Dr. Suzie has been part of Virtus voluntarily for nearly a decade, playing an instrumental role in establishing the II2 group in 2016 during her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She went on to contribute to the Eligibility Panel and, from January 2023, served as a Lead Eligibility Officer. She now steps into her new joint role as Eligibility Manager with a focus on building and maintaining the II1 and II2 groups, while also developing and delivering eligibility education.

Beyond Virtus, Suzie is a Senior Clinical Psychologist with the NHS in London, UK, where she works to promote inclusion for people with intellectual impairments and neurodivergent individuals. She also volunteers as an II Classifier with World Para Swimming, gaining first-hand insight into the impact of fair eligibility on athletes competing globally.

Outside of her professional life, Suzie enjoys long countryside walks with her German Shepherd, Storm.

“I’m delighted to be appointed, jointly with Hadi, as the Virtus Eligibility Manager. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next few years will bring us as we can dedicate our time and passion to this essential part of disability sport”, said Suzie.

Dr. Mohammad Hadi Hadizadeh is a licensed psychologist with a PhD in Psychology, specialising in clinical assessment and sport psychology. Since 2016, he has supported athletes and individuals with disabilities through clinical practice, assessment, and applied sport psychology. He has served as an eligibility expert for his national federation, contributed to classification decisions, and previously managed the Sports Psychology Committee for the National Paralympic Committee.

His experience spans consulting for multiple para sports, including Football 5-a-Side, Track and Field, Judo, Rowing, Archery, and Tennis, where he emphasises mental resilience and performance optimisation.

Since 2014, Hadi has been a registered psychologist and, since 2018, has served as an International Intellectual Impairment (II) Classifier, as well as a member of the Virtus Eligibility Panel for II3. He brings deep expertise in evidence-based practice, ethical care, and assessment standards, ensuring fairness and consistency in athlete classification worldwide.

“I am dedicated to supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities and contributing to advancing assessment standards in the field. My work with Virtus will allow me to combine my expertise in psychology with my passion for sport and inclusion”, said Dr. Hadi.

Their responsibilities include advising on eligibility policy and best practice, managing eligibility panels, supporting athlete assessments, liaising with National Eligibility Officers worldwide, and ensuring compliance with the IPC Classification Code. They will also play a vital role in strengthening partnerships with International Federations to support eligibility processes across sports.

Their combined expertise will help ensure that athletes with intellectual impairments can continue to compete on a fair and equal basis, with opportunities to shine on the world stage.

Virtus congratulates Suzie and Hadi on their appointments and looks forward to the impact they will make in shaping the future of eligibility in sport.