Year: 2024

Photo: Isa Luchtenberg-ABRC

The premier event of Wheelchair Rugby on the continent, the WWR Americas Championship, also known as the Copa America, will be hosted by Brazil in 2025.

The Brazilian Wheelchair Rugby Association (ABRC) and the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) have received approval from World Wheelchair Rugby (WWR), the International Federation of Wheelchair Rugby, to organize the competition in 2025.

The tournament, which aims to bring together the top eight teams from the Americas, offers two direct slots for the 2026 World Championship. In the 2022 edition of the Copa America, held in Colombia, Brazil secured the bronze medal.

“ABRC believes that hosting international events like the Copa America is very important for the growth of Rugby in Brazil, as it brings the sport closer to the Brazilian public and fans, and allows for exchanges with some of the strongest teams in the world that are here in our continent,” emphasized José Higino, president of ABRC.

This will be the first time Brazil hosts the WWR-licensed  competition, made possible through a partnership with CPB, which will provide the facilities of the Brazilian Paralympic Training Center, in São Paulo, for the event.

“For us, it is a great joy to host such a significant event at the Paralympic Training Center. Wheelchair Rugby is a sport that evolves every year. We won an unprecedented medal at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games, where we secured the bronze. We went to the Qualifiers for Paris 2024 and came very close to a Paralympic spot.

With the work that ABRC and CPB have been doing, including at the grassroots level, I am sure that better results will soon emerge. And Brazil hosting the WWR Americas Championship is also part of this process,” said Mizael Conrado, president of CPB.

In late 2023, the Brazilian Paralympic Training Center received a visit from Juan Foa, Regional Manager of the Americas for WWR, who was accompanied by Mateus Campana, ABRC’s administrative vice president. Foa inspected the Brazilian facilities and praised the space managed by CPB, which serves as the home for the Brazilian National Team.

“I found the facilities at the Paralympic Center to be very good. Having accommodation and sports facilities in one place facilitates the flow of a tournament schedule. The 100% accessible accommodation is very good, and the sports facilities are also up to the standard for an international event,” declared Foa.

Tim Johnson, WWR Competitions Working Group Lead, said, “Brazil’s growth over the past 10 years has been substantial. Hosting the 2025 WWR Americas Championship will further their development and performance even more. They missed qualification for 2024 Paris Paralympics by the smallest margins after their loss against Germany at the recent 2024 WWR Paralympic Qualification tournament. I’m confident that hosting this event will be another step towards a return to the Paralympics.”

Richard Allcroft, President of WWR added, “I was pleased to see Brazil putting in a strong bid for our Championship Event. Brazil have been running some exciting programs recently and the opportunity to host the 2025 Americas Championship will act as a catalyst, to promote and develop wheelchair rugby in Brazil and hopefully South America. Congratulations! “

The WWR Americas Championship will be held in São Paulo, at the Paralympic Training Center, in July 2025.

For further information contact: office@worldwheelchair.rugby

On the final day of the 2024 WWR Paralympic Qualification Tournament, the final slots were still to play for.

The 1^st & 2^nd placement match was neck and neck throughout. Australia took the lead by 1 try in overtime, winning by 49-48 against Canada, repeating the result from the 2023 International Wheelchair Rugby Cup final in Paris last October. Both teams qualified for the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.

The 3^rd & 4^th placement match was arguably the most important of the tournament, determining the last qualification slot for the 2024 Paris Paralympics. With 2 minutes to go in the first quarter, Brazil took an early lead over Germany, 13-11. The first quarter ended 17-16 to Brazil. In the 2^nd quarter, Germany forced several turnovers and took the lead by 2 tries. The score was 28-26 with 2 minutes remaining. Half time score; Germany 32, Brazil 30. By the end of the third quarter, Germany had a strong lead of 6 tries, with the score at that stage 42-36. The game ended with the score 62 – 50, Germany defeated Brazil and earnt the final qualification slot for the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Germany will compete again at the Paralympics; their last appearance was in Beijing in 2008.

As the Paralympic Qualification Tournament came to an end in Wellington, New Zealand, the 3 qualification slots for the 2024 Paris Paralympics were obtained by Australia, Canada and Germany. Overall placings at the event were:

1st	Australia
2nd	Canada
3rd	Germany
4th	Brazil
5th	New Zealand
6th	Netherlands
7th	Colombia
8th	Switzerland

With all the slots now determined, the teams qualified for the 2024 Paris Paralympics and how they qualified are:

France	Host and 2023 European Championship Winners
Great Britain	2nd place at the 2023 European Championship
Denmark	3rd place at the 2023 European Championship
Japan	2023 Asia Oceania Championship Winners
USA	2023 Parapan American Games Winners
Australia	2024 Paralympic Qualification Tournament Winners
Canada	2nd place at the 2024 Paralympic Qualification Tournament
Germany	3rd place at the 2024 Paralympic Qualification Tournament

New Zealand’s capital city is playing host this week to the WWR Paralympic Qualification Tournament 2024, where eight teams will compete for the remaining three spots at this years Paris Paralympics.

The eight teams are split into two pools. Pool A consists of Australia, Colombia, Germany and Switzerland. While Pool B has Canada, Brazil, Netherlands and hosts New Zealand.

Due to the layout of the tournament, the two teams that win the semi-finals, will qualify them their spot at the Paralympics, while the two losing teams will battle it out for the remaining spot in Paris held in August.

Australian and Canada come into this as strong favourites having both finished second in their respective Zonals, while the other six sides, especially the hosts, would love to cause an upset or two. This will make the five day of the tournament come alight.

The venue for this is the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport, in Trentham, a suburb of Wellington 30 minutes north of the city. In a first for the sport, the court being used for the tournament is a basketball court being shipped from Christchurch and laid over an artificial turf.

Action starts Wednesday 20th March with Pool play continuing Thursday and Friday. Saturday sees cross-pool matches, with the final matches taking place on Sunday 24th March. The five days of competition for the Paralympic Qualification Tournament, is the same number of days that will be used for the Paris Paralympics later in the year.

You don’t want to miss the action. All games are being shown on YouTube through World Wheelchair Rugby’s channel. All NZ games are also being shown live and free to air through Sky Open (Prime). If you are in Wellington and wanting to watch the action live, there are door sales at the venue.

World Wheelchair Rugby’s Social Media pages will also have half-time and full-time updates of each game.

Countries already qualified for 2024 Paris Paralympics – France (Hosts), Great Britain, Denmark, USA and Japan.

By Sara Pardoe

In celebration of International Women’s Day, a groundbreaking initiative has been launched to champion gender equality in the exhilarating world of wheelchair rugby. A task group dedicated to increasing female participation in the sport on a global scale has been established, marking a significant step towards fostering inclusivity and diversity within the wheelchair rugby community. Wheelchair rugby, a dynamic and high-impact Paralympic sport, has long been beloved for its intensity, skill, and teamwork. However, women have historically been underrepresented in this electrifying game. Recognizing the need for greater female involvement, the newly formed task group aims to break down barriers, create opportunities, and empower women to excel in wheelchair rugby at all levels. Comprised of passionate advocates, industry leaders, and athletes dedicated to promoting gender diversity, the task group will spearhead a wide range of initiatives designed to attract, retain, and support female athletes in wheelchair rugby. By fostering a culture of inclusivity and providing targeted resources and support, the group seeks to pave the way for a more equitable and diverse future for the sport. 

 “As a Paralympic sport that sees any gender competing together on court at the same time, it’s important we ensure that we are an attractive proposition and that at all levels of development, we create positive and welcoming environments. I’m pleased that we will be focusing on this important matter as part of our next strategic phase.” Richard Allcroft World Wheelchair Rugby President. 

“I am thrilled about the launch of this task group. We will be reaching out to the global membership for your input as we move this process forward. The stage has been set and the time it right to ensure female participation in wheelchair rugby is able to reach its peak and reflect the increasing demand and opportunity.” Kathy Newman WWR Director Competitions & Development. 

 As the world comes together to celebrate International Women’s Day, the launch of this task group serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of gender equality and inclusivity in sports. By championing female athletes in wheelchair rugby, we not only enrich the sport but also inspire the next generation of athletes to reach for their dreams, regardless of gender.  

For more information about the task group and its initiatives, please contact:

Kathy Newman   (she/her)
newman.kathy2@gmail.com
WhatsApp 1-778-773-2784

 Follow WWR on Social Media:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

 Join us in celebrating International Women’s Day and the journey towards gender equality in wheelchair rugby. Together, we can create a more inclusive, diverse, and empowering future for all athletes. 

 #EmpowerWomenInRugby #InternationalWomensDay #DiversityInSports  

For media inquiries, please contact: Kathy Newman   (she/her)
newman.kathy2@gmail.com
WhatsApp 1-778-773-2784

World Wheelchair Rugby has announced that the World Wheelchair Rugby European Championship Division B will be held in Finland, at the Pajulahti Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, from September 29th to October 7th, 2024.

This significant event brings together 8 teams from Europe to compete for the prestigious championship and qualifying to Division A. The competition provides a unique opportunity to witness world-class wheelchair rugby and highlights the importance and diversity of Parasports.

The Pajulahti Olympic and Paralympic Training Center has previously successfully hosted the World Wheelchair Rugby European Championship Division B in 2018.

Laura Kittelä, Event director of Pajulahti commented “It’s great that the event is returning to Pajulahti. We once again get to enjoy the fantastic and thrilling matches in the same venue as 2018.”

Riikka Juntunen, Secretary General of Finnish Paralympic Committee commented “Olympic and Paralympic Training Center Pajulahti offers excellent conditions for the games, with the athlete at the center. In Pajulahti, numerous para-sports competitions have been organized and the experienced competition organizers know how to take the teams into account in the best possible way. Thanks to all the organizers of the event, the Ministry of Education and Culture and all other supporters for making this event possible.”

The top two teams from the Championship will advance to the European Championship Division A.

Richard Allcroft, President of World Wheelchair Rugby added “Finland are an excellent host of International wheelchair Rugby and I’m sure people will be excited and witness, some excellent Rugby, that will see teams earn the chance to qualify for the next 2026 World Championships.  I know that the teams will have a great experience In Pajulahti.”

More info:

Laura Kittelä, Event Director laura.kittela@pajulahti.com

---

WWR and Loughborough University would like to invite wheelchair rugby athletes, team support personnel and classifiers to partake in a study on the experiences and perceptions of classification processes in wheelchair rugby.

To date, there is very little research that has explored the experiences and impact of classification on para-athletes and their wider team. The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions and experiences of athletes and athlete support personnel when going through the classification processes in wheelchair rugby. This study aims to understand how classification may impact upon athlete and ASP wellbeing, sports performance and continued participation in the sport. Researchers would like to understand how to support athletes and ASP through the classification processes, and in navigating the outcomes of classification.

Who is doing this research and why?

This study is part of a PhD student research project supported by Loughborough University. The study will be undertaken by Ellie-May Storr and supervised by Dr Jamie Barker, Dr Carolyn Plateau and Professor Vicky Tolfrey. The study is funded by The Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport at Loughborough University.

Are there any inclusion or exclusion criteria?

You must be over the age of 18 and have the capacity to fully understand and consent to this research.

You must:

• Play wheelchair rugby to a club, national or international standard
• Have experience and/or knowledge of domestic OR International Classification
• OR be an athlete support personnel associated to a wheelchair rugby team or organisation, with experience of the classification processes
• Examples of athlete support personnel include coaches, managers, psychologists, physiotherapists
  

Exclusion Criteria

• Any athlete or athlete support personal who may find discussing classification distressing will be excluded from the study.

What will I be asked to do?

Those partaking in the study will be invited to provide written informed consent before participating. You will be asked to attend a 1-1 online interview (MS teams) to discuss your experiences and perceptions of classification processes. The interview will be audio and video recorded and will take around an hour.

Will my taking part in this study be kept confidential?

No identifiable personal information will be included in any of the project submissions or shared beyond the investigators. No individual will be identifiable in any report, presentation, or publication. A pseudonym will be used.

For the full Participant Information Sheet, please click here.

If you have any further questions, please contact Ellie-May Storr: E.Storr@lboro,ac,uk

If you would like to take part in this study, please contact the below:

Ellie-May Storr, Lead Investigator E.Storr@lboro.ac.uk School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU. Tel: 01509 225945

Prof Vicky Tolfrey v.l.tolfrey@lboro.ac.uk School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU. Tel 01509 226386

Dr Jamie Barker J.B.Barker@lboro.ac.uk, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU.  Tel: 01509 226363.

Dr Carolyn Plateau, C.R.Plateau@lboro.ac.uk, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU.  Tel: 01509 228487