Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced game in which two teams of five players compete to score the most points at the end of the game by shooting the ball into the other team’s basket.
Three points are awarded for a basket made from outside the three-point line, two points for a basket made inside, and one point for each free throw made.
Five players and seven substitutes make up each squad. Four 10-minute segments make up a game, with additional time added if scores are tied. The proportions of the court, hoop, and backboards are identical to those of a typical basketball court.
The travel rule is one significant difference. In order to avoid being penalized for traveling, wheelchair athletes must pass or bounce the ball after every two pushes. Additionally, there is a regulation against double-dribbling.
About Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball:
Teams in this sport are made up of athletes from different sports, which makes it special. Each player receives a score ranging from 1.0 to 4.5 points based on how much their basketball skills are limited. The player’s level of activity increases with their point total. The maximum number of points that a team can have with all five players on the court at once is 14.
This sport uses wheelchairs that are made to be quick and nimble. To avoid tipping backward, the majority have one or two small rear casters, two small front casters, and two huge, cambered wheels. The game demands cooperation and hand-eye coordination, and it moves quickly.
The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) is in charge of overseeing the sport.
In 1945, wheelchair basketball had its debut at two VA facilities in the United States: Corona Naval Station in California and Framingham, Massachusetts.
Under Dr. Ludwig Guttmann’s guidance, British war veterans began playing wheelchair netball at Stoke Mandeville Hospital on their own in 1948.
In 1949, six teams participated in the first national wheelchair basketball competition, which took place in Illinois, USA. The USA’s National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) was established that same year.
When US teams were invited to compete in the International Stoke Mandeville Games in 1955, they had to first settle for wheelchair netball, which is how wheelchair basketball first appeared in Europe. Their performance led to the transition from wheelchair netball to wheelchair basketball for the upcoming Games, as they dominated the competition.
Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball Medals:
There were eight sports at the first Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960, including wheelchair basketball. Twelve nations sent 96 athletes (95 men and 1 woman) to compete in two medal events. 192 athletes from 10 countries participated in two medal events at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris (96 men and 96 women).
With ten gold medals in men’s wheelchair basketball and four in women’s since 1960, the USA is the most successful wheelchair basketball nation to date. In the last three Paralympic Games, the USA men’s team has taken home the gold.
The Netherlands won bronze at the Rio 2016 and London 2012 Paralympic Games and gold in the Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
In wheelchair basketball, 15 countries have taken home medals from the Paralympic Games.
Paralympics Rules
Two teams of five players each compete in the exciting sport of wheelchair basketball, which has a maximum player limit of twelve. By the end of the four 10-minute intervals that make up the game, the goal is to score more points than the other team. Extra periods are used to decide the winner if there is a tie at the end of regulation time.
With some significant modifications for wheelchair use, wheelchair basketball is a featured event at the Paralympics and is governed by regulations identical to those of standing basketball.
Paralympics Basketball Court and Equipment
The basket height, foul line, and three-point line of a typical basketball court are all the same for wheelchair basketball as for standing basketball.
Paralympics Basketball Rating
- One point for a free throw.
- Two points are awarded for a field goal inside the three-point line.
- Three points for a field goal that crosses the three-point line.
Playing Wheelchair Basketball
- The offensive team has 24 seconds from the moment they get possession of the ball to try to make a shot.
- The ball is turned over to the opposition to resume play when a team scores.
- The ball is turned over to the other team if the team does not score or hit the rim of the basketball hoop in 24 seconds.
Rule of Dribbling and Travel
- Players can dribble the ball while pushing their wheelchairs.
- To avoid a traveling foul, the player must either pass, shoot, or dribble again after every two pushes.
- Players can pause and resume dribbling without incurring penalties because there is no double-dribble regulation.
Fouls
The rules and fouls that apply to wheelchair basketball are different from those that apply to regular basketball; however, they have been modified to accommodate wheelchair users.
The following are the main infractions in wheelchair basketball:
- Since the wheelchair is regarded as a component of the player’s body, it is subject to all contact regulations.
- Among the technical fouls are raising one’s legs to obtain an advantage and getting up from the chair.
- Players are unable to maneuver the wheelchair with their legs or feet on the ground and must stay seated.
- If a player receives five personal fouls, another player must take their place.
