Wheelchair Sports - Rugby Classification

To be eligible to play wheelchair rugby, one of the many wheelchair sports, athletes must have some form of disability with a loss of function in both the upper and lower limbs. The majority of wheelchair rugby athletes have spinal cord injuries at the level of their cervical vertebrae. Other eligible players have multiple amputations, polio, or neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, some forms of muscular dystrophy, or Guillain-Barré syndrome, among other medical conditions.

Players are classified according to their functional level and assigned a point value ranging from 0.5 (the lowest functional level) to 3.5 (the highest). The total classification value of all players on the court for a team at one time cannot exceed eight points.

The classification process begins with an assessment of the athlete's level of disability to determine if the minimum eligibility requirements for wheelchair rugby are met. These require that an athlete have a neurological disability that involves at least three limbs, or a non-neurological disability that involves all four limbs. The athlete then completes a series of muscle tests designed to evaluate the strength and range of motion of the upper limbs and trunks. A classification can then be assigned to the athlete. Classification frequently includes subsequent observation of the athlete in competition to confirm that physical function in game situations reflects what was observed during muscle testing.

Wheelchair rugby classifier examining a new player

Athletes are permitted to protest their classification if they feel they have not been properly evaluated. Athletes can be granted a permanent classification if they demonstrate a stable level of function over a series of classification tests.

Wheelchair rugby classification is conducted by personnel with medical training, usually physicians, physiotherapists, or occupational therapists. Classifiers must also be trained in muscle testing and in the details of wheelchair rugby classification.

Other information

Wheelchair rugby was featured in the Oscar-nominated 2005 documentary Murderball.

Prior to 2002, the United States was undefeated internationally, having won gold at the 1995 and 1998 World Championships, and at the 1996 and 2000 Summer Paralympics. Canadian star Garett Hickling has been named the Most Valuable Player at all three World Championships in the sport's history.

Other forms of wheelchair rugby

A variety of other wheelchair sports have been developed based on the rules of rugby union or rugby league. These include wheelchair power tag rugby and wheelchair rugby league.

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