Wheelchair rugby, a Paralympic sport that is full-contact and played indoors on a court of basketball, is called quad rugby. The Wheel Blacks website (2018) states that this sport, also known by quad rugby, was developed in 1976 by five Canadian paralympic athletes. In 1960, organized games in Wales were already being played. According to IWAS (International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation), the first international competition was held in Canada in 1989. There were teams from Canada and Great Britain.
According to the IWAS (2018), although this sport was originally intended for quadriplegics, many wheelchair rugby players are now able to play it. According to the Wheel Blacks website, to qualify for playing, an athlete must have at least three limbs lost and go through a classification process. The International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (2018) states that “the players compete as teams of four to move the ball across the goal line.” According to Wheel Blacks, the sport is full contact and athletes use their wheelchairs to support and block each other.
Paralympic websites explain that currently, 29 athletes compete in this Paralympic event and that more than ten are developing national programs. According to Wheel Blacks, players can often be injured by the impact of wheel chairs, resulting in fractured bones or muscles. “The equipment that players use is designed to minimize injury and there are rules in place to ensure safe play.” (Wheel Blacks, 2018).
The Wheel Blacks is the New Zealand national Wheelchair Rugby side. The tournament will take place in Switzerland in April. They rely on sponsorships and donations to fund their operations. The team doesn’t receive any government assistance, other than the loan for the building. This report will include a marketing strategy plan that will help the Wheel Blacks to market their games during the previous period (February 8th through April 1st).
