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Murderball, sin bins and bumpers: welcome to the world of wheelchair rugby! In our "24 Sports Chrono" series, we tell you everything you need to know about Olympic and Paralympic Games disciplines. On your marks, get set, go!
Crashing is encouraged
A round ball, four players per team and forward passing: but why is it called wheelchair rugby? You only have to watch a few seconds of a match to understand why. Players regularly crash and slam into each other, creating a cacophony of noise and an engrossing spectacle.
Understanding the rules
Wheelchair rugby could actually be called "rugby-basketball-American-football-chair-hockey" but that would be a bit of a mouthful. The sport borrows a lot from all of these disciplines: it is played on a basketball court with a goal line on each side. As soon as a player receives the ball, he has ten seconds to pass or dribble forward, which the opposing defenders try to prevent. To protect their team-mates, members of the attacking team can "block" opposing defenders by crashing into them (a typical American soccer maneuver). Finally, if a player commits a foul, he's sent to jail (or sin bin) - just like in field hockey and rugby!
The chair is an integral part of the game. Weighing at least 20 kg, it differs according to the player's position. Offensive chairs are lighter and more mobile, as their occupants have to avoid defenders. Defensive chairs are longer, and can snag other chairs to immobilize them.
Required qualities: strength, solidarity and tactical awareness.
Impressive, isn't it?
Vidéo Youtube
It's a mixed team sport
In the 1970s, the main wheelchair sport was wheelchair basketball. But this game required precise shooting that quadriplegic athletes (whose paralysis affects all four limbs to a greater or lesser extent) were unable to achieve. Murderball was created in Canada in 1976 to allow individuals to play a team sport in wheelchairs.
With such a name, one wouldn't expect it to be gentle. Although the sport has since been renamed wheelchair rugby, it has retained its original focus on contact and the broadest possible inclusion of people with disabilities.
Wheelchair rugby became a Paralympic sport at the Sydney 2000 Games. It is a mixed discipline in which male and female players with disabilities affecting all four limbs compete.
Liking the 24 Sports Chrono series?
The "24 Sports Chrono" is a weekly feature published during the lead up to the Games.
Learn all about other Olympic and Paralympic sports with our dedicated feature article.
Learn all about other Olympic and Paralympic sports with our dedicated feature article.
France is one of the world's top nations
The French wheelchair rugby team is one of the world's elite. They have won two European champions (2022 and 2023) and finished 4th at the latest World Championships, held in Paris in October 2023. Cédric Nankin, the team's vice-captain, took part in all these competitions. The athlete, backed by the City of Paris in the lead-up to the 2024 Paralympic Games, was introduced to the sport after meeting the French sporting legend Ryadh Sallem.
The 53-year-old is still a member of the French wheelchair rugby team and is set to play in his seventh Paralympic Games in 2024! And with good reason: he began his sporting career in wheelchair basketball, taking part in the Barcelona 1992 Games. Beyond his athletic achievements, Ryadh Sallem is dedicated to promoting an empowering perspective on disability and strengthening social unity, particularly through the CAP Sport Art Aventure Amitié (CAPSAAA) association, which he helped establish.
When and where?
The Paralympic wheelchair rugby competitions are scheduled from August 29 to September 2 at the Arena Champ-de-Mars, located in the 7th arrondissement.
Do you speak wheelchair rugby?
Bumpers: Both offensive and defensive chairs are equipped to safeguard the player's legs. The defensive chair features a grid designed to intercept the opponent's offensive chair.
Straps: there's no way you're going to get knocked out of your chair! To achieve this, players use different straps (abdominal, leg and foot straps).
Sin bin: just like in field hockey and rugby, if a player commits a foul, such as touching an opponent with his hands or hitting from behind, he must leave the field, leaving his team outnumbered for one minute. This duration serves as his "punishment" time off the pitch.
0.5 points: Depending on the severity of their disability, each player is assigned a point value ranging from 0.5 for the most severe disabilities to 3.5 for the least severe. Players classified between 0.5 to 1.5 points use the defensive wheelchair, while those with higher points use the offensive wheelchair. The total on-court point value for each team must not exceed 8 points. Wheelchair rugby also serves as an excellent exercise in mental arithmetic.
Where can one play wheelchair rugby in Paris?
In competitive play, only athletes with disabilities impacting all four limbs are eligible to participate. However, wheelchair rugby can also be enjoyed recreationally by individuals with only upper-limb impairments, who do not require a wheelchair for daily mobility.
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CAP Sport Art Aventure Amitié
130, rue de Lourmel (15th arrondissement)
Contact: https: //capsaaa.net/
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Roulez jeunesse
1, rue de la Croix-Faubin (11th arrondissement)
Contact: [f.cellier puis philanthropique.asso.fr après le signe @]s.pryyvre@cuvynaguebcvdhr.nffb.se[f.cellier puis philanthropique.asso.fr après le signe @]
Activities, festivities, disruptions near competition venues… Get the information you need about the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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