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.
2024 Paralympic Qualification Tournament – Brazil v New Zealand at NZCIS, Upper Hutt, New Zealand on Thursday 21 March 2024
Photo by Masanori Udagawa
www.photowellington.photoshelter.com
On the final day of the 2024 WWR Paralympic Qualification Tournament, the final slots were still to play for.
The 1st & 2nd 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 3rd & 4th 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 2nd 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.
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:
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.
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
In a display of their entire prowess, the United States defeated Chile convincingly with a score of 62-27.
They won the first quarter 17-4, by the end of the second, their lead had already extended to 30-10, and in the third, they further widened the gap to 47-15. Only the last quarter, with the result already decided, was a bit more balanced.
The top scorer of the game was the American Zion Redington, with 26 tries, while Christian Madariaga stood out for Chile with nine.
Canada made their debut with a resounding victory over Argentina, winning 63-30, making it clear that they are strong contenders to compete for the gold medal against the United States.
Both teams from the northern part of the continent have contested the two Parapan American finals in the discipline since wheelchair rugby was introduced to the program at Toronto 2015. In the inaugural version, the victory went to the Canadians, while at Lima 2019, the Americans prevailed.
Based on their performances in their debuts in Santiago, it would be no surprise if they face each other again in the decisive match.
In the first game of the day, the United States defeated Chile 62-27. Following suit, Canada did not lag behind and overcame the Argentinians with an equally convincing difference.
The first of the four quarters was the most balanced, with the Canadians leading 12-6. However, in the second and third quarters, they significantly widened the gaps, winning both 16-8, to close the last quarter with their widest advantage (19-8).
The top scorer of the game was Zachary Madell, with 17 points.
Colombia achieved a narrow victory against Brazil in mixed wheelchair rugby in the third round of the day held at the Centro de Deportes Colectivos, winning 55-48 to the applause of the audience.
The first half ended with a 14-12 advantage for Brazil, while the second was a tie at 14. In the third, Colombia took the lead 16-11, and in the final quarter, they confirmed their superiority, winning 13-9, sealing the victory for the team that won bronze in Toronto 2015 and Lima 2019.
Colombia’s Jhon Orozco was the top scorer with 36 tries, followed by his teammate Julián Vargas with 7, and Edgar Vanegas with 4.
The final match of day 1 was USA v Argentina. Argentina fought hard, but USA fought harder, as they took home their second victory of the day.
Sunday, November 19th, 2023.–
Colombia secured its second match in the preliminary phase of mixed wheelchair rugby at Santiago 2023, defeating Chile 56-26 at the Estadio Nacional’s Centro de Deportes Colectivos.
The Colombians took the initiative from the early stages and were vastly superior throughout the game. Despite all their efforts and the support of the packed crowd, Chile couldn’t alter the course of the game. They made too many mistakes and lost possession 20 times, ultimately paying the price.
Colombia played the second quarter with two women who displayed great potential. Meanwhile, Jenny Barraza played the third quarter for Chile.
The standout player of the match was the Colombian David García, who scored 21 tries and made five steals. His teammate Christian Ordoñez added 12. Once again, Christian Madariaga was the top performer for Chile, with 10 tries and two steals.
The quarter scores were 16-7, 15-8, 14-5, and 11-6, resulting in a final score of 56-26 for Colombia, which aims to at least replicate the bronze medals won at both Toronto 2015 and Lima 2019.
David García, the leading scorer of the match, said, “It was a good game. We made good tactical changes, and we’ve come to win and enjoy the landscapes of Chile.”
After defeating Argentina in the opening match, Canada maintained its undefeated record in the tournament and had no major difficulties in beating Brazil 62-41.
At the Centro de Deportes Colectivos at the Estadio Nacional, Brazil only offered some resistance in the last quarter, which ended tied at 14. However, Canada’s superiority was evident from the first minute, winning the first quarter 16-8, the second 15-10, and the third 17-9.
Zachary Madell from Canada, with 13 tries and four steals, became the standout player of the match. “More than being the top scorer, the important thing is that the team is playing well with an eye on Paris,” he noted.
The Brazilians Gabriel Feitosa and Rafael Hoffmann were the top scorers, both with 10 tries.
In an entertaining, closely contested, and very tough match, the United States remained unbeaten by defeating Colombia 57-42 in their third wheelchair rugby game of the tournament.
Except for the last quarter, which Colombia won 17-15, the other partial scores favoured the U.S. team by 16-7, 12-7, and 13-11. This performance underscores their status as favourites to win the Parapan American gold and secure a spot at Paris 2024.
Their top scorer was Charles “Chuck” Aoki with 19 tries, followed by Sarah Adam with 15. The rugby player shared her thoughts after the match, saying, “It was an exciting game, definitely felt like the first time the team clicked, everything was in sync, it was a fun game to play. A bit more intense with Colombia, who has some really excellent players. We came out respecting them, but we wanted to show that the United States was going to be dominant from the start.”
The player also talked about the upcoming match against Canada on Tuesday, which has become a classic in the sport. She said, “That’s the game we really look forward to. They’re always great matches when we play against Canada, very competitive games, and we match up well with them. It will be exciting to watch. I hope we can go to Paris on behalf of the team. We definitely look forward to that. But now our focus is on what we play here, sealing our pass to Paris. And we have work to do early next year too.”
On the other hand, Colombia, ranked tenth, managed to complicate things for the winners in a very tough and heavily contested match.
Once again, Colombian David García was the top scorer for his team, with 11 tries.
At the end of the day, Brazil defeated Argentina in a contested match, where the Brazilians prevailed 58-37, as part of the preliminary round of Group A.
Monday, November 20th, 2023.-
As expected, Canada, ranked fifth in the world and aiming for gold and tickets to Paris 2024, easily overcame Chile on the third day of the preliminary phase at Santiago 2023.
At the Centro de Deportes Colectivos at the Estadio Nacional, the North Americans won 60-27, marking their third consecutive victory, while the hosts are still seeking their first win.
Canada took the lead 4-0 just 37 seconds into the first half, setting the tone for the entire match. They left Chile without an outlet, forcing them to lose possession due to the 40 second rule and the ten-second rule, both due to the inability to play against the opponent’s strong defence.
The scores for each period were 20-8, 14-4, 13-6, and 13-9, resulting in a final score of 60-27.
Canadian player Matthew Debly, with 17 points, was the top scorer of the match. He commented, “Chile was a worthy opponent. We came here to try to secure a direct spot for Paris, and we know that the United States is the team to beat.” Once again, Christian Madariga was the top scorer for Chile, with 13 tries.
The United States won 54-36 against Brazil in the third round of wheelchair rugby at Santiago 2023.
In one of the best matches of the competition, the North American team (gold medallists at Lima 2019) had to showcase a significant portion of their prowess to secure the victory, keeping them undefeated ahead of the preliminary phase match against Canada.
From the start of the match, the teams showed no mercy, engaging in a highly tactical duel with many defensive fouls due to physical contact.
The first and second quarters were highly contested, both ending 13-9 in favour of the Americans, who sealed the victory with a convincing 18-8 in the third quarter. The final period ended in a 10-10 tie, resulting in a final score of 54-36.
Brazil had a lively crowd, known as “movimiento verde amarelho a torcida do Brasil,” which continued to cheer despite their team’s defeat.
Charles “Chuck” Aoki of the United States, considered one of the best players in the world and the scorer of 20 points on this Monday, expressed being “quite surprised by the growth of rugby in Latin America. Brazil was a tough opponent in the first two quarters. We’re not thinking about Paris 2024, but that’s our goal.”
Julio César Braz was Brazil’s top scorer with 10 tries.
Chile suffered a clear defeat in the classic encounter with Argentina. In Group A, the “albiceleste” unquestionably prevailed with a score of 77-34.
The Argentinians quickly took the lead in the beginning with a score of 17-8. The superiority was maintained throughout the following three periods, and only in the fourth quarter was there a closer contest, with a 19-11 advantage for Argentina.
President Gabriel Boric was present in the stands, visibly enthusiastic alongside the crowd whenever Chile hinted at a comeback. However, in the end, like the entire local fanbase, he had to accept Argentina’s superiority in the classic match.
Tuesday, November 21st, 2023.-
Canada have found success in the Centro de Deportes Colectivos. Since their debut last Saturday until now, they have only known victories, and today, they defeated one of their toughest rivals, their neighbours from the United States.
The first quarter favoured the Americans with a tight score of 12-11, but Canada turned the game around with a partial score of 12-10 to go into halftime with a 1-point advantage.
With that minimal difference, they played the last two quarters, where they managed to extend the lead to finally win the match by 5 points.
The path of the only undefeated team in Santiago 2023 has been successful with wins over Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and the United States. In this way, Canada, with its candidacy displayed, advances to the semifinals of these Pan American Games.
After an intense day, Colombia and Brazil headed for the wheelchair rugby semifinals after the end of the qualifying round at the Centro de Deportes Colectivos at the Estadio Nacional.
In a close match, the Colombians overcame Argentina 56-50. Then, Brazil did the same against Chile, with a comfortable 66-28.
Thus, both teams will face the semi-finals against the United States and Canada, respectively, on the penultimate day of the competition.
Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023.-
The wheelchair rugby has its first finalist at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games, as the United States celebrated at the Centro de Deportes Colectivos of Estadio Nacional.
In a closely contested match, the North American team prevailed over Colombia in the first semifinal of the day, with a score of 52-45.
The standout player for the Americans was Charles Aoki, who scored a total of 24 tries, while the Colombian Jhon Orozco was the top scorer of the match with 27 goals.
Another confirmed final has emerged in the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games, as Canada secured the second spot to compete for gold in wheelchair rugby.
The North American team played a high-level match against their counterparts from Brazil, defeating them 60-45 at the Centro de Deportes Colectivos of Estadio Nacional.
The standout player on the field was the Canadian Matthew Debly, who scored 15 tries, leading his country to victory.
The final is confirmed, and it will be against the United States, a rematch of the match they played in Lima 2019, where Canada emerged as the winner.
Argentina defeated Chile 64-46 in the battle for the fifth position.
From the first minute, the game was in favour of Argentina, showcasing their greater experience in the sport and dashing Chile’s hopes of securing their first victory in the competition.
The Argentine team went into halftime with a lead of 31-21 (18-11 and 13-10), maintaining this advantage in the last two quarters (16-13 and 17-12) to secure the victory.
Joselino Gómez was Argentina’s top scorer with 15 points. “This is my first Parapan American Games, and even though we came with the aspiration to go further, it couldn’t happen, but we leave satisfied,” he said.
Chile’s Christian Madariaga, who scored 21 tries for his team, appreciated the experience gained in Santiago 2023. “It was a great experience, and hopefully, in a couple of years, we can compete for a South American medal,” he stated.
Thursday, November 23rd, 2023.-
With tears and hugs, the Brazilian players celebrated the bronze medal they achieved in the wheelchair rugby competition at Santiago 2023. They had plenty of reasons to do so: by defeating Colombia 57-52, they avenged their two previous losses in the Parapan American Games in Toronto 2015 and Lima 2019, both also for the third place against the same opponent. Additionally, they secured a spot in the qualification tournament for Paris 2024.
The match was highly contested and characterized by tight marking, constant physicality, and few errors. However, the Brazilian strategy yielded better results, especially in one-on-one marking, where they stole many balls. The five-point advantage they gained in the second quarter was maintained until the end.
Gabriel Feitosa was the standout player of the match, scoring 33 points. Very happy, he stated, “We played a very good game. We never lost our marks, and we won the contested balls. Happy because we could change the history here in Santiago.”
John Orozco from Colombia (scoring 26 points) said, “It was a close and intense match. They made fewer mistakes than us. That’s how it goes; there is always a winner and a loser, and this time, we couldn’t celebrate.
The wheelchair rugby final was a spectacle between two world powers. The United States and Canada delivered an intense match, the last of the discipline at the Collective Sports Center in the National Stadium. The result? A close 57-51 victory for the Americans.
Both teams had faced each other in the two previous Parapan American finals. In Toronto 2015, Canada emerged victorious, while in Lima 2019, the United States secured the win. In Santiago 2023, the Americans retained their title and earned spots for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Meanwhile, Canada and Brazil (bronze medal) will have to go through a repêchage to try to qualify for the “City of Light” games.
The match featured a lot of physicality, constant tactical changes, blocks, and man-to-man marking, without giving each other any breathing space. All quarters were won by the Americans, but with minimal differences.
Charles “Chuck” Aoki, considered one of the best players in the world, scored 28 tries, although Canadian Zachary Madell, with 36 points, was the top scorer of the game.
WWR are proud to announce wheelchair rugby will be one of the 18 Parasports to take place at the 2026 Asian Para Games!
The Asian Paralympic Committee (AsPC) and the Local Organizing Committee (AINAPGOC) announced that the Asian Para Games will take place in the city of Nagoya, in central Japan, from October 18 to October 24, 2026. A total of 45 delegations from the National Olympic Committees of Asia will be present, competing in 18 sports in this city of 2.3 million inhabitants.
Nagoya, the capital of Aichi Prefecture in Japan, is a manufacturing and shipping hub in the center of Honshu and will host between 3,600 and 4,000 athletes who will also compete in the 2026 Asian Games. The 20th Asian Games will take place between September 19 and October 4, 2026, marking the third time in history after Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.
WWR President Richard Allcroft said: “The formal announcement of our inclusion in the Asian Paralympic Games, is following recent work that World Wheelchair Rugby have been doing in the Asia region. This included the recent opportunity of presenting to the Asian Paralympic Committee Congress that was held in Saudi Arabia. Representatives from WWR were attending in person and I was pleased to be able to join them via video link to present about our aspirations to develop in Asia. My thanks to all involved within WWR and to President Majid Rashed of the Asian Paralympic Committee for his commitment and vision to developing wheelchair rugby in Asia.”
The purpose of the WWR Athlete Council is to act as the collective voice for all wheelchair rugby athletes within WWR.
The Athlete Council will aim to enrich the athlete experience by creating a safe space for athletes to bring their questions, comments, and concerns forward.
The Athlete Council advocates on behalf of the athletes to ensure the athlete perspective is heard and actively considered by the WWR Board and WWR Working Groups in their decision-making process.
The Athlete Council aims to be a representation of the current cohort of athletes and as such the Athlete Council are seeking male, female and non-binary representatives.
We are currently seeking athlete representatives from the following Zones:
Asia- Oceania: 2 representatives
Americas: 2 representatives
Europe: 3 representatives
As a member of the Athlete Council your role is to:
Attend Athlete Council meetings – It is the aim of the Athlete council to meet 3 to 4 times a year, with one of those meetings being an open athlete forum (to be held in the future once the Athlete council is established). Meetings will be conducted electronically.
Bring athlete concerns and views to the attention of the Athlete Council for discussion and action.
Participate in one of the four main working groups of WWR in order to present the views and positions of athletes in regard to current or future programs, policies and procedures.
Classification Working Group
Technical Working Group
Development Working Group
Competitions Working Group
The Athlete Council aims to create a safe space where Wheelchair Rugby athletes from around the world feel comfortable raising ideas, issues, concerns, and problems to help make the sport of wheelchair rugby better.
Provide feedback and suggestions to WWR Board and working groups on all matters relating to Wheelchair Rugby including and not limited to doping and other integrity matters, eligibility, classification, equipment, officiating, rules, athlete welfare and more.
Actively engage with international athletes within your Zone to gather and disseminate feedback to relevant Groups and the WWR Board of Directors.
Direct athlete concerns and views to the Athlete Council for discussion and action.
In accordance with WWR Bylaw 7 athlete eligibility is defined as follows. There is also an opportunity to co-opt positions if you are interested and don’t feel that you meet the eligibility criteria.
6.4. Eligibility
6.4.1. In addition to any other requirements specified in the WWR Statutes and Bylaws, to be eligible to be elected as the Chair, or to be appointed as a Competition Zone Representative Member, of the WWR Athletes’ Council, an individual must meet the following requirements:
6.4.2. The individual must be an eligible wheelchair rugby athlete under the current WWR athlete classification rules for the Paralympic discipline of the sport; and
6.4.3. The individual must have participated as a team member of a national Wheelchair Rugby team in a WWR championship event, fully authorised event, or Paralympic Games:
a) in the four calendar years preceding the appointment, if they are not an incumbent member of the WWR Athletes’ Council; or
b) in the eight calendar years preceding their appointment if they are an incumbent member of the WWR Athletes’ Council.
For more information or to apply to be a representative of your respective region, please contact office@worldwheelchair.rugby
