Wheelchair rugby

Wheelchair rugby is a team sport for athletes with a disability. Developed in Canada in the late 1970s, it is currently practiced in over twenty countries around the world and is a Paralympic sport. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Generally, disabled sports are sports played by individuals with physical or mental disabilities; the term often refers to sports which have been devised or modified specifically for this purpose. ... Silver 2004 The Paralympic Games are an official equivalent of the Olympics for athletes with physical disabilities. ...

The sport's original name was murderball; in the United States, it is referred to as quad rugby. All wheelchair rugby players are quadriplegic, with a disability affecting both upper and lower limbs. Wheelchair rugby is a mixed sport, with men and women competing on the same teams. Quadriplegia is caused by damage to the spinal cord at a high level (e. ...

Wheelchair rugby is played indoors on a hardwood court. The rules include elements of wheelchair basketball, ice hockey, and handball. It is a contact sport, and physical contact between wheelchairs is an integral part of the game. Wheelchair basketball is a sport played primarily by people with disabilities. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... Handball is the name of several different sports: Team handball, or Olympic/European Handball is a game somewhat similar to association football, but the ball is played with the hand, not the foot. ...

History

Wheelchair rugby's roots go back to wheelchair basketball and ice hockey. It was created in 1977 by Jerry Terwin, Duncan Campbell, Randy Dueck, Paul LeJeune and Chris Sargent, five Canadian wheelchair athletes in Winnipeg, Manitoba to be a sport for quadriplegics.^{[citation needed]} At that time, wheelchair basketball was the most common team sport for wheelchair users. That sport's physical requirement for players to dribble and shoot baskets relegated quadriplegic athletes, with functional impairments to both their upper and lower limbs, to supporting roles. The new sport — originally called murderball due to its aggressive, full-contact nature — was designed to allow quadriplegic athletes with a wide range of functional ability levels to play integral offensive and defensive roles. Wheelchair basketball is a sport played primarily by people with disabilities. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... For other uses, see Winnipeg (disambiguation). ... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Latin: Glorious and free) BC AB SK MB ON QC NB PE NS NL YT NT NU Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor John Harvard - Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation... Quadriplegia, also known as tetraplegia, is a symptom in which a human experiences paralysis of all four limbs, although not necessarily total paralysis. ...

Murderball was introduced to the United States in 1981 by Brad Mikkelsen. With the aid of the University of North Dakota's Disabled Student Services, he formed the first American team, the Wallbangers. The first North American competition was held in 1982. In the late 1980s, the name of the sport outside the United States was officially changed from Murderball to Wheelchair Rugby. In the United States, the sport's name was changed to Quad Rugby. The University of North Dakota (UND) is a comprehensive, public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. UND is the largest and oldest university in the state of North Dakota. ...

The first international tournament was held in 1989 in Toronto, Canada, with teams from Canada, the United States and Great Britain. In 1990, Wheelchair Rugby first appeared at the World Wheelchair Games as an exhibition event, and in 1993 the sport was recognised as an official international sport for athletes with a disability by the International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation (ISMWSF). In the same year, the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) was established as a sports section of ISMWSF to govern the sport. The World Wheelchair Games, formally known as the Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games and the Stoke Mandeville Games, gave birth to the Paralympics. ... The International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) is an international sports organization that governs sports for wheelchair users and amputees. ... The International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF), a sport section of the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation, is the international governing body for the sport of wheelchair rugby. ...

The first IWRF World Wheelchair Rugby Championships were held in Notwil, Switzerland, in 1995. Wheelchair rugby appeared as a demonstration sport at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, and was granted full medal status at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, Australia. Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... See also: 1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, USA were the first Paralympics to get mass media sponsorship. ... This article is about the state capital of Georgia. ... See also: 2000 Summer Olympics External links Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games - archived websites in PANDORA Categories: Summer Paralympic Games | Australian sport | 2000 in sports ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ...

There are currently twenty-one active countries in international competition, with several others developing the sport. The current President of the IWRF is Brad Mikkelsen.

Rules

Wheelchair rugby court

Wheelchair rugby is played by two teams of up to twelve players. Four players from each team may be on the court at one time. It is a mixed sport, and both male and female athletes play on the same teams. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 370 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (420 × 680 pixel, file size: 10 KB, MIME type: image/png) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Wheelchair rugby ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 370 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (420 × 680 pixel, file size: 10 KB, MIME type: image/png) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Wheelchair rugby ...

Wheelchair rugby is played indoors on a hardwood court of the same dimensions as a regulation basketball court — 28 metres long by 15 metres wide. The required court markings are a centre line and circle, and a key area measuring 8 metres wide by 1.75 metres deep at each end of the court. This article is about the sport. ...

The goal line is the section of the end line within the key. Each end of the goal line is marked with a cone-shaped pylon. Players score by carrying the ball across the goal line. For a goal to count, two wheels of the player's wheelchair must cross the line while the player has possession of the ball. The goal line is the chalked or painted line dividing the end zone from the field of play in Canadian football and American football. ...

A team is not allowed to have more than three players in their own key while they are defending their goal line. Offensive players are not permitted to remain in the opposing team's key for more than ten seconds.

A player with possession of the ball must bounce or pass the ball within ten seconds.

Teams have fifteen seconds to advance the ball from their back court into the front court.

Physical contact between wheelchairs is permitted, and forms a major part of the game. However, physical contact between wheelchairs that is deemed dangerous — such as striking another player from behind — is not allowed. Direct physical contact between players is not permitted.

Fouls are penalized by either a one-minute penalty, for defensive fouls and technical fouls, or a loss of possession, for offensive fouls. In some cases, a penalty goal may be awarded in lieu of a penalty. Common fouls include spinning (striking an opponent's wheelchair behind the main axle, causing it to spin horizontally or vertically), illegal use of hands or reaching in (striking an opponent with the arms or hands), and holding (holding or obstructing an opponent by grasping with the hands or arms, or falling onto them). In sports, a foul is a violation of the games rules. ... In basketball, a technical foul is an infraction of the rules usually concerning unsportsmanlike non-contact behavior. ...

Wheelchair rugby games consist of four eight-minute quarters. If the game is tied at the end of regulation play, three-minute overtime periods are played. Overtime is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport in order to bring the game to a decision and avoid declaring the contest a tie or draw. ...

Much like able-bodied rugby matches, highly competitive wheelchair rugby games are fluid and fast-moving, with possession switching back and forth between the teams while play continues. The game clock is stopped when a goal is scored, or in the event of a violation — such as the ball being played out of bounds — or foul. Players may only be substituted during a stoppage in play.

Equipment

Wheelchair rugby chair

Wheelchair Rugby is played in a manual wheelchair. The rules include detailed specifications for the wheelchair. Many players use custom-made sports wheelchairs that are specifically designed for wheelchair rugby. Key design features include a front bumper, designed to help strike and hold opposing wheelchairs, and wings, which are positioned in front of the main wheels to make the wheelchair more difficult to stop and hold. All wheelchairs must be equipped with spoke protectors, to prevent damage to the wheels, and an anti-tip device at the back. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

New players and players in developing countries sometimes play in wheelchairs that have been adapted for wheelchair rugby by the addition of temporary bumpers and wings.

The wheelchair rugby ball is identical in size and shape to a regulation volleyball. Wheelchair rugby balls are typically of a 'soft-touch' design, with a slightly textured surface to provide a better grip. The balls are normally over-inflated compared to a volleyball, to provide a better bounce. The official ball of the sport from 2000-2006 is the Molten soft touch volleyball, model number WR58X. Volleyball is an Olympic sport in which two teams separated by a high net use their hands, arms or (rarely) other parts of their bodies to hit a ball back and forth over the net. ... Molten Corporation ) is a Japanese Sports equipment and automotive parts company based in Hiroshima, Japan. ...

Players use a variety of other personal equipment, such as gloves and applied adhesives to assist with ball handling, and various forms of strapping to help them maintain a good seating position.

Classification

Wheelchair rugby classifier examining a new player

To be eligible to play wheelchair rugby, athletes must have some form of disability with a loss of function in both the upper and lower limbs. The majority of wheelchair rugby athletes have spinal cord injuries at the level of their cervical vertebrae. Other eligible players have multiple amputations, polio, or neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, some forms of muscular dystrophy, or Guillain-Barré syndrome, among other medical conditions. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... The Spinal cord nested in the vertebral column. ... Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery. ... Poliomyelitis (polio), or infantile paralysis, is a viral paralytic disease. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Muscular dystrophy refers to a group of genetic, hereditary muscle diseases that cause progressive muscle weakness. ... Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) or acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy is an acute, autoimmune disease that affects the peripheral nervous system and is usually triggered by an acute infectious process. ...

Players are classified according to their functional level and assigned a point value ranging from 0.5 (the lowest functional level) to 3.5 (the highest). The total classification value of all players on the court for a team at one time cannot exceed eight points.

The classification process begins with an assessment of the athlete's level of disability to determine if the minimum eligibility requirements for wheelchair rugby are met. These require that an athlete have a neurological disability that involves at least three limbs, or a non-neurological disability that involves all four limbs. The athlete then completes a series of muscle tests designed to evaluate the strength and range of motion of the upper limbs and trunks. A classification can then be assigned to the athlete. Classification frequently includes subsequent observation of the athlete in competition to confirm that physical function in game situations reflects what was observed during muscle testing.

Athletes are permitted to protest their classification if they feel they have not been properly evaluated. Athletes can be granted a permanent classification if they demonstrate a stable level of function over a series of classification tests.

Wheelchair rugby classification is conducted by personnel with medical training, usually physicians, physiotherapists, or occupational therapists. Classifiers must also be trained in muscle testing and in the details of wheelchair rugby classification. The word physician should not be confused with physicist, which means a scientist in the area of physics. ... Physical therapy (or physiotherapy[1]) is the provision of services to people and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. ... Occupational therapy refers to the use of meaningful occupations to assist people who have difficulty in achieving occupationally balanced lives. ...

Active countries

Countries playing wheelchair rugby

There are currently twenty-one active countries playing wheelchair rugby, divided into three zones: Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 413 pixel Image in higher resolution (1357 × 700 pixel, file size: 50 KB, MIME type: image/png) Description: Map of countries in the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) Source: Made by Eron Main from en:Image:BlankMap-World-v2. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 413 pixel Image in higher resolution (1357 × 700 pixel, file size: 50 KB, MIME type: image/png) Description: Map of countries in the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) Source: Made by Eron Main from en:Image:BlankMap-World-v2. ...

World map showing the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere historically considered to consist of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Oceania (disambiguation). ...

International competitions

World Wheelchair Rugby Championships 2002, Gothenburg Sweden

The major international competitions in wheelchair rugby are Zone Championships, held in each odd-numbered year; World Championships, held quadrennially in even-numbered years, opposite the Summer Paralympic Games; and the Paralympic Games. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Silver 2004 The Paralympic Games are an elite multi-sport event for athletes with a disability. ...

Recent results

• 2006 World Championships — Christchurch, New Zealand [1]
  • 1. United States
  • 2. New Zealand
  • 3. Canada

• 2005 European Zone Championships — Middelfart, Denmark
  • 1. Great Britain
  • 2. Germany
  • 3. Sweden

• 2005 Oceania Zone Championships — Johannesburg, South Africa
  • 1. New Zealand
  • 2. Australia
  • 3. Japan

• 2004 Paralympic Games — Athens, Greece
  • 1. New Zealand
  • 2. Canada
  • 3. United States

• 2002 World Championships — Gothenburg, Sweden
  • 1. Canada
  • 2. United States
  • 3. Australia

The 2006 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships was held in Christchurch, New Zealand from September 12-16, 2006, of which the final was streamed live on the Television New Zealand website. Wheelchair rugby is also on the program for the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China. Christchurch (Māori: ) is the regional capital of Canterbury, New Zealand. ... Middelfart is a town in central Denmark, located in Middelfart municipality on the island of Funen (Danish: Fyn), with a population of 13. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Athens is the largest and the capital city of Greece, located in the Attica periphery. ... Location of Gothenburg in northern Europe Coordinates: Country Sweden County Västra Götaland County Province Västergötland Charter 1621 Government  - Mayor Göran Johansson Area  - City 450 km²  (174 sq mi)  - Water 14. ... Christchurch (Māori: ) is the regional capital of Canterbury, New Zealand. ... See also: 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, will be held in Beijing, China from September 6 - 17, 2008. ... “Peking” redirects here. ...

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Other information

Wheelchair rugby was featured in the Oscar-nominated 2005 documentary Murderball. Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Murderball is a 2005 documentary about quadriplegics who play wheelchair rugby. ...

The character Jason Street in the NBC television show Friday Night Lights, tries out for the United States quad rugby team. Friday Night Lights in the a 1990 book and 2004 movie that documents the coach and players of a high school football team and the small, economically-depressed Texas town of Odessa that supports and is obsessed with them. ...

Prior to 2002, the United States was undefeated internationally, having won gold at the 1995 and 1998 World Championships, and at the 1996 and 2000 Summer Paralympics.

Canadian star 3.5 Garett Hickling, who is shown above in a big hit on the United States' 2.0 Bryan Kirkland, was named the Most Valuable Player at the first three World Championships in the sport's history. No MVP was selected at the most recent World Championships, which were held in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2006. Christchurch (Māori: ) is the regional capital of Canterbury, New Zealand. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Other forms

A variety of other wheelchair sports have been developed based on the rules of rugby union or rugby league. These include: For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... Wally Lewis passing the ball in Rugby League State of Origin. ...

• Wheelchair power tag rugby
• Wheelchair rugby league

Wheelchair rugby league is a version of wheelchair rugby based expressly on rugby league. ...

References

• International Wheelchair Rugby Federation, Technical Commission (2006), International Rules for the Sport of Wheelchair Rugby

• International Wheelchair Rugby Federation, Classification Commission (1999), International Wheelchair Rugby Classification Manual (2nd ed.)

• International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (2006), About Wheelchair Rugby [link accessed August, 2006]

• International Paralympic Committee (2006), Wheelchair rugby: About the sport [link accessed August, 2006]

• Pasadena Texans Wheelchair Rugby (2007), Pasadena Texans Wheelchair Rugby [link accessed September, 2007]

Further reading

• www.rugbyuniononline.com the essential rugby website, wheelchair rugby section
• International Wheelchair Rugby Federation
• International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation
• International Paralympic Committee — Wheelchair rugby
• 2006 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships
• United States Quad Rugby Association
• Murderball at the Internet Movie Database
• International wheelchair rugby links from the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association