Van de Vliet was speaking to insidethegames following the conclusion of a media workshop on Para-athletics classification aimed at providing a greater understanding of the topic to those covering the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London from July 14 to 23.

Creating an "athlete-centered"classification system is a central theme of Petersson's manifesto to replace Sir Philip Craven as President of the IPC. 

Classification remains one of the main concerns within the Paralympic Movement.

Last August, prior to the Rio 2016, the IPC claimed they had found no evidence of intentional misrepresentation - where an athlete or governing body attempts to cheat the system by gaining a more favourable classification - in swimming after they conducted a "thorough examination" of 16 cases.

Earlier this year, a UK Athletics (UKA) review into the classification of athletes revealed some concern that the system is "open to exploitation".

It identified several methods which could be used for intentional misrepresentation, including athletes with neurological conditions arriving at classification evaluations with prior fatigue.

Other ways highlighted were athletes altering their medical diagnostic form and/or supporting evidence prior to submitting it to UKA and athletes presenting medical reports from doctors who are sympathetic to the athlete.

Asked whether he supported Petersson’s pledge for "athlete-focused" classification system, Van de Vliet said he was not willing to speak on the Dane’s behalf, but stated "it is crucial that we have the athletes’ voices heard throughout the whole process".

"The athlete is not a recipient, the athlete is a partner in the process and that means the athlete is a partner from telling us what they experience through classification to what they experience in the sport and that needs to feed into the whole process," he told insidethegames.

"I just finished three days of classification research meetings in Alpine skiing.

"Half of those present were athletes.

"That’s crucial because we need their input and then we need to complement that with people that speak mechanical language, people that speak medical language, so that you understand what they say to bring that into that equation with the more technical concepts and terms.

"And then, ultimately, you need to ensure that what you propose as a revision is checked against the athletes, so they’re for me very important stakeholders throughout the whole process."

Also present at the media workshop were Iain Gowans, the British Paralympic Association’s classification manager, and British athlete Katrina Hart, the 200 metres T37 world champion in 2011.

Hart, part of British team that won women’s 4x100m T35-38 bronze medal at London 2012, stressed the importance of ensuring level playing fields. 

"I want to see the sport progress and I want to see people getting faster, but I want them to do it in the right way," she said referring specifically to Para-athletics.

"I want it to be fair for everyone."

The 27-year-old added: "I just feel like if you’re on the start line, you want to stand next to the people that you’re racing against and know that they’re in the class that they should be and we’re all on an even keel."

The key findings of the UKA review into the classification of Para-athletes were established following interviews conducted by the four-person panel - chaired by Paralympic wheelchair racer Anne Wafula-Strike - with a cross-section of individuals that had a direct experience of the UKA classification system.

The panel also included Gowans, Professor John Brewer of St Mary’s University, and UKA Board member Peter Taylor.

Gowans said that since the review was published in March, processes have been tightened and made more formal.

Petersson, a member of the IPC Governing Board, is one of four candidates to replace Sir Philip, who has fulfilled his term limits having been elected in 2001.

IPC vice-president Andrew Parsons of Brazil, Canada's Patrick Jarvis and China's Zhang Haidi are also in the running.

The election is due to be held at the IPC General Assembly in Abu Dhabi on September 8.