History

Wheelchair Rugby originated in Canada in 1977 and the first National Championships were held there in 1979. In the early 1980s, Wheelchair Rugby was introduced to the USA with Great Britain following later. The first international tournament was held in 1989 in Toronto, with club teams from Canada, the USA and Great Britain. This was a breakthrough for developing international competition and co-operation. Wheelchair Rugby first appeared at the ISMWSF World Wheelchair Games in 1990 as an exhibition event. By 1993, with 15 countries actively participating, the IWRF was formed as a sport section of the ISMWSF. As a next step, Wheelchair Rugby applied for Paralympic status, which was obtained in 1995. The following year, Wheelchair Rugby was accepted as a demonstration sport at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games. The first appearance as a full medal sport was the Sydney 2000 Paralympics.