Andrew Pace
Wheelchair basketball is an adaptation of basketball for people with disabilities. It was first played around 1945-1946 by injured World War II veterans, primarily in the United States. The sport was developed to aid in their rehabilitation and socialization, helping them improve their physical activity, coordination, and communication skills. Wheelchair basketball is now played worldwide, with over 100,000 participants, from recreational to elite levels. The rules are similar to traditional basketball, with adaptations for wheelchair use. The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) is the governing body for this sport, recognized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Governing body | International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) |
| Court dimensions | 28x15m |
| Basket height | 10ft |
| Playing time | 4x10 minutes |
| Number of players on court | 5 |
| Number of substitutes | 7 |
| Travelling violation | Occurs when the athlete touches their wheels more than twice without dribbling the ball |
| Double dribble violation | No |
| Foul | Occurs when a player or their wheelchair comes into contact with their opponent |
| Players | Individuals who require the use of a manual or electric wheelchair in their daily life; however, many athletes do not use a wheelchair outside of the game |
| Classification | Players are classified by a point system, from 1 to 4.5 points, with 1 being the most disabled and 5 being able-bodied |
| Popularity | More than 100,000 people play wheelchair basketball |
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What You'll Learn
Rules and scoring
The objective of wheelchair basketball is to score more points than the opposing team by the end of the game. The game is divided into four 10-minute periods, with extra periods played if the game ends in a tie. Each team fields five players on the court, with up to 12 players in total.
Wheelchair basketball follows most of the rules and scoring of traditional basketball, with some adaptations for wheelchair use. The court dimensions, basket height, foul line, three-point line, and playing time are the same as in the non-adaptive version of the sport. The wheelchair is considered an extension of the player's body, so all contact rules apply to the wheelchair as well.
After gaining possession of the ball, the offensive team has 24 seconds to attempt a shot. If they fail to score or hit the rim within 24 seconds, the opposing team gains possession. There is no double dribble rule in wheelchair basketball. A travelling violation occurs when a player takes more than two pushes while holding the ball without dribbling. Players are not allowed to touch the playing surface with their feet.
Technical fouls include lifting the legs to gain an advantage or lifting out of the chair. Players must remain seated and cannot use their legs or feet to steer the wheelchair. A player who commits five personal fouls must be substituted.
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History
Wheelchair basketball was first played in 1945 or 1946 by World War II veterans in Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals across the United States. The veterans were paralyzed and wheelchair-bound due to injuries sustained during the war. The first games were played at the Corona Naval Station in California, and in Framingham, Massachusetts. At the same time, British war veterans began playing wheelchair netball at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire, led by German-born neurosurgeon Dr. Ludwig Guttmann, who is widely recognized as the founder of the Paralympic Games.
In 1946, a physical education instructor at the Birmingham VA hospital in Van Nuys, California, Bob Rynearson, created wheelchair basketball. He noticed that paralyzed veterans enjoyed playing a crude form of basketball after the non-disabled players had left the court. He began organizing practices and wrote the first set of rules for the sport. Rynearson's key insight was that the wheelchair should be considered an extension of the athlete's body.
In 1947, the Birmingham team travelled to the Corona Naval Station, where they competed in the first match between two wheelchair basketball teams. Within two years, six teams emerged representing VA hospitals across the US. National tournaments were organized and hosted by the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA). In 1948, the first official National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NWBT) was organized by Tim Nugent of the University of Illinois. The first national wheelchair basketball tournament took place in Illinois in 1949, featuring six teams. This marked the formation of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) in the United States.
Wheelchair basketball became an official Paralympic sport in 1960, when it was included in the inaugural Paralympic Games in Rome. The first unofficial men's World Championship took place in 1973 in Bruges, Belgium, though it was only open to European countries and was not recognized as an official event. The first official men's championship was held in 1975, also in Bruges, and was won by Israel. The first women's World Championship was held in 1990 in St Etienne, France, with the US taking the inaugural title.
Today, wheelchair basketball is a global sport with an estimated 100,000 players participating at various levels, from recreational to elite national teams. The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) is the global governing body for the sport and has 95 National Organizations for Wheelchair Basketball (NOWBs) participating worldwide. The NWBA has also expanded globally, with hundreds of teams from North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe.
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Governing bodies
The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) is the world governing body for wheelchair basketball. It was founded in 1973 as a subsection of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF), which was the world governing body for all wheelchair sports at the time. In 1989, the subsection was renamed the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation, and in 1993, it achieved full autonomy, becoming the global governing body for the sport. The IWBF's membership has expanded since then, and it is now divided into four geographical zones: Asia Oceania, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. There are currently 95 National Organisations for Wheelchair Basketball (NOWBs) participating in the sport worldwide, with this number increasing annually.
The IWBF is recognised by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) as the sole competent authority in wheelchair basketball worldwide. It is also recognised by FIBA under Article 53 of its General Statutes. The IWBF is governed by an Executive Council that is elected at the World Congress every four years.
The growth of IWBF has been instrumental in the development of wheelchair basketball as a widely recognised Paralympic sport. It is played in numerous countries around the world, with over 100,000 individuals participating across various levels. The sport's fast-paced nature, dynamic gameplay, and the skill level of players have all contributed to its popularity as a thrilling spectator sport.
Wheelchair basketball national organisations have evolved in diverse ways. Many began as a subsection of a national wheelchair sports organisation, similar to the IWBF's origins. However, as the IWBF matured, so did its member organisations, and now there are various models embraced within its membership. For example, in Mexico, wheelchair basketball organisations are part of their National Paralympic Committee, while in Australia, they are part of the Australian Wheelchair Athletes Ltd.
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Teams and players
Wheelchair basketball is played by individuals who use a manual or electric wheelchair in their daily life, as well as those who are deemed by a medical professional to have a permanent disability that disqualifies them from playing competitive basketball. The sport was first played by American World War II disabled veterans in 1945 or 1946 as a form of rehabilitation and socialisation.
Each team in a wheelchair basketball game is made up of five players and seven substitutes. Players are classified by a point system, from 1 to 4.5 points, with lower points indicating a more significant activity limitation. The sum of the points of the five players on the court at any given time must not exceed 14 points.
In some countries, such as Canada, Australia, and England, non-disabled athletes using wheelchairs are allowed to compete alongside other athletes on mixed teams.
The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) is the governing body for this sport and has 95 National Organisations for Wheelchair Basketball (NOWBs) worldwide. The IWBF rules state that a wheelchair basketball game consists of four periods of 10 minutes each. If the score is tied at the end of the four quarters, an overtime period of five minutes is played. If the score remains tied, additional overtime periods will be played until a winner is determined.
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Equipment
Wheelchair basketball is played using a sports wheelchair. The sport is governed by the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF), which has 95 National Organisations for Wheelchair Basketball (NOWBs) worldwide.
The sport is played by individuals who require the use of a manual or electric wheelchair in their daily life. However, it is a misconception that all wheelchair basketball players use their chair for everyday mobility. Many athletes get out of their chair after a game and walk around. These athletes may not have a noticeable disability but are deemed by a medical professional to have a permanent disability that disqualifies them from playing competitive basketball.
Wheelchairs are considered an extension of the player's body in relation to establishing responsibility for contact on the court. A player must remain firmly seated in the chair and must not use their lower limbs to steer the chair or gain an unfair advantage. If a player falls out of their chair, a referee may stop play if the player is at risk of injury.
In some countries, non-disabled athletes using wheelchairs are allowed to compete alongside other athletes on mixed teams.
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