2. General information
Wheelchair basketball is basketball played by people in
wheelchairs and is considered one of the major disabled
sports practiced. The International Wheelchair
Basketball Federation (IWBF) is the governing body for
this sport. It is recognized by the International
Paralympics Committee (IPC) as the sole competent
authority in wheelchair basketball world wide. FIBA has
recognized IWBF under Article 53 of its General
Statutes.
3. IWBF has 82 National Organizations for Wheelchair
Basketball actively participating in wheelchair basketball
throughout the world with this number increasing each year.
It is estimated that more than 100,000 people play
wheelchair basketball from recreation to club play and as
elite national team members. Wheelchair basketball is
played by boys, girls, men and women.
4. Wheelchair basketball sees tremendous competition and
interest on the international level. Wheelchair basketball is
included in the Paralympics Games that are held every four
years for athletes with physical disabilities immediately
following the Olympics in the same city that hosts the
Summer Olympics just two weeks after the closing of the
Summer Games.
5. Wheelchair basketball in
Latvia
In Latvia this kind of sport is young, only 6 years old.
Although in Latvian cities there are a total of 6 Wheelchair
Basketball teams but people who want to enjoy this kind of
sport are lot more. Only the richest people with disabilities
can engage in this sport. That’s because to get the training
sites they need special transport and expensive
equipment.