November Para-Sport of the Month: Wheelchair Rugby

Wheelchair rugby, originally murderball, is a physically intensive sport for men and women, most of whom have quadriplegia. It is played on a basketball court with the objective to fully cross the opponent's goal line for points. Wheelchair rugby is a unique sport which combines elements of handball, ice hockey, and basketball. The game was invented in Winnipeg in 1976 and is now played in more than 40 countries. To be eligible, athletes with spinal injuries must have impairment in a minimum of 3 limbs, and athletes without spinal cord injuries (i.e. cerebral palsy, amputation) must have impairment in all 4 limbs.

Wheelchair rugby players are separated into 7 classes (0.5, 0.1, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 or 3.5) depending on functional ability. Higher classes accommodate higher function levels, and lower classes are assigned to players with less functional ability. Athletes are assigned a class after completing a bench test for functional skills prior to any game play. A team's combined classification value cannot exceed eight points to ensure a mix of athletes with a large range of functional levels.