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Wheelchair rugby is an exciting, action packed sport invented by quadriplegics, for quadriplegics. Played on a regulation-size basketball court, the object of the game is to move a volleyball down the length of the court and carry it across the opposing team's goal line. The ball may be passed, thrown, batted, rolled, dribbled or carried. Goals are located at each end of the court, span eight metres in length, and are marked by two orange cones. Each game consists of four, eight minute quarters.
Teams consist of four players each, and each player is classified according to his or her level of disability. Athletes are numerically classified by their function, ranging from .5 to 3.5, with the lower numbers depicting players of lesser functional ability, and the higher numbers depicting players of increased functional ability. Each team may have no more than 8 points on the court at one time (the combined total of all four players' classification levels cannot exceed 8).
Basic rules:
- The offensive team has ten seconds to inbound the ball
- The offensive team has fifteen seconds to move the ball past half court
- An offensive player in possession of the ball may hold, or carry the ball for a maximum of ten seconds at one time, after which he must then either dribble the ball once or pass to a teammate.
- Offensive players are allowed in the key area for a maximum of ten seconds at a time.
- Only three defensive players are allowed in the key area simultaneously.
- A goal is scored when an offensive player in possession of the ball touches the goal line with any two wheels of his wheelchair.
Common fouls:
- Holding an opponent and/or his chair with your hands or arms.
- Illegal contact or deliberate contact with an opponent's body such as slapping, hitting, elbowing or excessive leaning on an opponent.
- Pushing a stationary player from a position he holds.
- Charging or forceful contact with an opponent without attempt to change direction.
- Spinning or making contact with an opponent causing his chair to change direction.
- Physical advantage or touching the floor with any part of the body or wheelchair other than the wheels.
- Back court violation (when a player with the ball in his own front court wheels the ball into the back court).
- As in hockey, players serve penalty minutes for committing fouls.