Wheelchair rugby
Wheelchair rugby is the name for some team sports. The players are disabled. It is played in over 25 countries around the world. It is played in the Summer Paralympic Games. Games are played on a basketball court. The goal of the game is to get a "try" by taking a ball over the end line. Players from both sides are in specific wheelchairs.
The game is played by either three, four or five players on each team.[1] The oldest game is played with four players on each side. The game of fours was originally named "Murderball", due to how dangerous the game can be.[2] This is also called quad rugby in the United States.
History
[change | change source]Wheelchair rugby was created to be a sport for persons with quadriplegia. In 1976, five Canadian wheelchair athletes made the game:Gerry Terwin, Duncan Campbell, Randy Dueck, Paul LeJeune and Chris Sargent.[3] Wheelchair users played mostly wheelchair basketball at that time. But, that game sometimes needed more mobility than someone with quadriplegia might have.
The new game was created to have more roles for players with limited mobility. The original game, created by the Canadian athletes was four-on-four. Three years later, the game was first played outside of Canada.[4] The first international tournament was held in 1982, with teams from North America. By the end of the 1980s, international tournaments included teams from Great Britain.[4] It had also reached Australia.[5]
In 1990, wheelchair rugby was shown at the World Wheelchair Games.[4] By 1993, there were 15 countries competing.[4] In 1994, the game was recognised by the International Paralympic Committee.[4] The first World Wheelchair Rugby Championships was played in 1995. It was also played as an exhibition at the 1996 Summer Paralympics. It has since been played at every Paralympic Games.[6]
Playing countries
[change | change source]
There are thirty-one active countries playing wheelchair rugby and twenty-six more developing national teams,[7] divided into three zones:
| Zone number | Area | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Americas | Argentina |
| Brazil | ||
| Canada | ||
| Chile | ||
| Colombia | ||
| Paraguay | ||
| United States | ||
| 2 | Europe | Austria |
| Czech Republic | ||
| Denmark | ||
| Finland | ||
| France | ||
| Germany | ||
| Great Britain | ||
| Ireland | ||
| Israel | ||
| Italy | ||
| Netherlands | ||
| Poland | ||
| Russia | ||
| Spain | ||
| Sweden | ||
| Switzerland | ||
| 3 | Asia / Oceania | Australia |
| India | ||
| Japan | ||
| Korea | ||
| Malaysia | ||
| New Zealand | ||
| South Africa | ||
| Thailand |
See also
[change | change source]References
[change | change source]- ↑ "About Wheelchair Rugby". GBWR.
- ↑ https://www.uksport.gov.uk/sports/paralympic/wheelchair-rugby
- ↑ "History of Wheelchair Rugby", iwasf.com
- 1 2 3 4 5 "International Wheelchair Rugby Federation : About Our Sport". www.iwrf.com. Archived from the original on 2012-08-07. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ↑ "About". Wheelchair Rugby Australia.
- ↑ https://worldwheelchair.rugby/about-wheelchair-rugby/#:~:text=Players%20must%20meet%20minimum%20disability,ten%20others%20developing%20national%20programs.
- ↑ "World Wheelchair Rugby : Development". International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF). Retrieved 10 November 2022.
