Wheelchair basketball conditionally reinstated for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

Under orders from the International Paralympic Committee's Governing Board, wheelchair basketball has been conditionally reinstated onto the Paris 2024 sports programme.

In January 2020, the IPC's position was that wheelchair basketball had for years operated under its own classifications and allowed athletes to compete who don't meet the Paralympic standard.

The IPC's Governing Board then declared the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) non-compliant with its Athlete Classification Code and removed the sport with immediate effect from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

That move forced the IWBF to update its classification rules and regulations, including the assessment of minimum impairment criteria.

The IPC also threatened at that time to withdraw the marquee sport from Tokyo 2020.

All Tokyo-bound wheelchair basketball players in classifications 4.0 or 4.5 — the highest mobility — had to be reassessed.

Wheelchair basketball players are classified from 1 to 4.5, with trunk control and sitting balance the main difference between classes.

David Eng, a two-time gold medallist and Canada's flag-bearer at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, was ruled ineligible to compete at Tokyo 2020 under the IBWF's new classification standards.

"The IPC is pleased with the significant progress made by the IWBF over the last six months in its efforts to achieve Code compliance," IPC President Andrew Parsons said in a statement. "The IPC will always support the IWBF in its work to further develop its classification systems. We look forward to this successful working relationship continuing and this being the beginning of a new chapter."

'Inspire future generations'

IWBF president Ulf Mehrens was also delighted with the sport's reinstatement to the Paris Paralympic programme.

"We are thankful that IPC has recognized the extensive work that has been done to update our rules and ensure they are aligned with the IPC's Code and are pleased with the progress IWBF has made so far to become code compliant.

"To have wheelchair basketball reinstated onto the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games programme is important not only for our members whose goal it is to compete in a Paralympics, but it is invaluable for the sport to be showcased in one of the biggest global sporting celebrations allowing us to capture and inspire future generations."

According to the IPC, the conditional reinstatement is designed to provide assurance that the IWBF fully implements its new classification rules.

The changes to the IWBF Classification Rules and Regulations for international wheelchair basketball come into effect Oct. 1, 2021.