Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby
Originally known as ‘murderball’, wheelchair rugby is an action-packed game involving speed, full chair contact, hard hits, skills and physical determination, making it thrilling to watch as well as to play.
The game is played in a sports hall using a basketball court, but with the addition of two key areas. Two cones at each end of the court demark the try line at the back of the key area, and a try is scored when a player carries the ball over the line.
Games are played in eight-minute quarters and each team has 12 seconds to get the ball over the halfway line, and a total of 40 seconds to score a try. If the team in possession doesn’t score within the 40 seconds the ball is turned over to the other team. Full contact between chairs is allowed, but person to chair and person to person contact isn’t allowed.
A team’s squad is made up of 12 players, with only 4 players on court at any one time. A classification system based on physical functionality and strength is used to ensure participation by players with different levels of function. Players are awarded a classification designation ranging from 0.5 to 3.5, with a maximum of 8 points on court at any time. Whilst the maximum classification eligible in the game internationally is 3.5, domestically we permit players with a classification of up to 4.0.
Wheelchair rugby is played by both men and women, playing in the same teams and the same competitions. Teams are awarded an additional 0.5 to their 8 point total for every female player that they have on court.
Here you can find out more about eligibility, the rugby wheelchairs, plus rules and more.
Who is Eligible to Play?
To be eligible to play the Paralympic discipline of wheelchair rugby, athletes must have an impairment which affects their arms and legs. Many athletes have spinal cord injuries, with full or partial paralysis of their legs and partial paralysis of their arms. Players with other impairments such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, amputations, polio and other neurological conditions are also eligible to play.
What Equipment is Needed?
Wheelchair rugby is played in sport-specific manual wheelchairs, which are designed to handle the hits and crashes that occur during the game. Athletes can have bespoke chairs that are measured and made to their specific requirements to suit their function and style of play. Wheelchair rugby chairs come in 2 specific types:
- Offensive chairs, which are typically used by more functional and faster players – these have a rounded front and are built for speed and nimbleness
- Defensive chairs, which are typically used by less functional players whose main role is to stop the opposing team’s offensive players from scoring by ‘picking’, or holding, them
find out more
Tournament Rules: the rules of GBWR tournaments and competition
Tournament Rules – Super Series Results Points Recording: how league tables are determined
Tournament Rules – Talent Loan Agreement: how athletes in the Talent Programme may be loaned for increased game opportunity
For the full rules of the game and more information on the sport’s classification system, check out the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation’s website at iwrf.com.