How is wheelchair rugby different from rugby?

Originally known as murderball, and called quad rugby in the United States, wheelchair rugby incorporates aspects of able-bodied rugby, alongside elements of basketball and handball. The sports men and women use manual wheelchairs to get around the hardwood court, and men and women compete together on the same teams.

What are the characteristics of a rugby wheelchair?

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.

What is wheelchair rugby called?

Murderball
Wheelchair rugby is an intense, physical team sport for male and female athletes with quadriplegia (tetraplegia). The sport was originally called “Murderball” due to the aggressive nature of the game. It is a contact sport where collisions between wheelchairs form a major part of the game.

What are the classifications for the Paralympics?

Classes 1-5 are for wheelchair athletes. Classes 6-10 are for standing athletes. Finally, class 11 is for athletes with intellectual impairments. Within the wheelchair and standing classes, the lower the number, the greater the impact the impairment has on an athlete’s ability to compete.

How do you qualify for wheelchair rugby?

To be eligible to play Wheelchair Rugby, individuals must have a disability which affects the arms and legs. Most players have spinal cord injuries with full or partial paralysis of the legs and partial paralysis of the arms.

How is wheelchair rugby modified?

Court. Wheelchair rugby is played indoors on a regulation-sized basketball court. The basketball key area is replaced by a wheelchair rugby key 8m wide and 1.75m deep. The part of the end line within the key is called the goal line and it is marked with one pylon at each end.

Can you pass forward in wheelchair rugby?

Rugby adaptions for the wheelchair: field, ball and fouls One of the key adaptations of wheelchair rugby is the field. Otherwise players can carry the ball in their legs, bounce or pass it – but never forward.

What are the three steps for classification Paralympics?

Classification follows a three-step process:

• Does the athlete have at least one of the ten eligible impairments?
• Does the athlete meet the Minimum Impairment Criteria (MIC) specific to the sport they wish to compete in?
• Which sport class should the athlete compete in?

Where can you classify rugby?

Definition. In wheelchair rugby, players are assessed into seven classes: 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 points. The lower level points indicate less functional ability and the higher points indicate greater functional ability. Men and women both play the sport, and they play on the same team.

Why was wheelchair rugby invented?

Wheelchair rugby is a mixed gender team sport. It was invented in 1977 by a group of Canadian quadriplegic athletes, who were looking for an alternative to wheelchair basketball that would allow players with reduced arm and hand function to participate on equal terms.

Who is the Countryfile presenter in a wheelchair?

Steve Brown
Steve Brown is an award-winning TV presenter, public speaker and mentor. He is also a wheelchair rugby player and coach who captained Great Britain at the London 2012 Paralympics.

When did wheelchair rugby become a Paralympic sport?

Wheelchair rugby was developed in Canada in the 1970’s by athletes with quadriplegia, and after being presented as a demonstration sport at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, it made its debut as a medal sport at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. Wheelchair rugby is a mixed-team sport for male and female athletes.

Is there a governing body for wheelchair rugby?

Wheelchair rugby is now an established Paralympic sport, with 28 countries having competed in international competitions and listed on the world ranking list, while more than 10 others are developing national programmes. The International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) is the global governing body of the sport.

What kind of sport does a wheelchair player play?

Wheelchair rugby is a mixed-team sport for male and female athletes. Originating from Winnipeg, Canada, the sport was created by athletes with an impairment and combines elements of rugby, basketball and handball. Wheelchair rugby players compete in manual wheelchairs specifically designed for the sport.

Why is classification important to the Paralympic movement?

Challenging the interests of Para sport is the threat of one-sided and predictable competition, in which the least impaired athlete always wins. Classification is the cornerstone of the Paralympic Movement, it determines which athletes are eligible to compete in a sport and how athletes are grouped together for competition.