WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL

1. ¿WHAT´S WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL?

Wheelchair basketball is a unique sport
for those with physical restrictions such as
cerebral palsy, congenital disability, leg
amputation, Spina Bifida, accident-related
paralysis, polio, and a variety of other
conditions.
Although a disability prevents you from
jumping, pivoting, or running, it does not
hinder you from moving your wheels about the court while playing the
beautiful game.

2. HOW TO PLAY AND MAIN RULES

Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced sport in which two teams of five
players compete to shoot the ball into the basket of the opposing team.
Five players and seven substitutes make up each squad. The game is
divided into four ten-minute segments. If the score is tied at the end of
the fourth period, the game will be continued with a five-minute overtime
session or as many five-minute overtime periods as are required to break
the tie.

2.1 PLAYING TIME

A wheelchair basketball game is divided into four 10-minute sections,
according to IWBF regulations. A five-minute overtime period is played if
the score is tied at the end of four quarters. If the score is still tied at the
end of this period, there will be additional extra periods until a winner is
determined.

2.2 SCORING
The team attacking the basket into which the ball has entered is credited
with a goal as follows:
A free throw goal is worth one (1)
point; a two-point field goal area
goal is worth two (2) points; and a
three-point field goal area goal is
worth three (3) points.
Each team has 24 seconds to
execute their basket attempt. If
the team with the ball goes over the time limit, the opposing team gets
the ball and the opportunity to play.

2.3 DRIBBLING
A player may concurrently wheel the chair and bounce the ball; however,
if the ball is picked up and/or
placed on the player's lap, he or
she is only allowed to push twice
before being forced to shoot, pass,
or dribble the ball again. In
wheelchair basketball, there is no
double dribble rule. If a player
takes more than two pushes
without dribbling while in
possession of the ball, he or she has committed a traveling foul. While in
possession of the ball, a player is not allowed to touch the ground with his
or her feet.

2.4 FOULS AND VIOLATIONS

In the case of charging, blocking, going out of bounds, and other offenses,
the wheelchair is considered a part of the player's body when determining
responsibility for contact on the court.
A player on offense cannot stay in the key region for more than three
seconds. On an in-bounds play, the attacking player is not permitted to
enter the key until the referee has passed the ball to the in-bounding
player.
A player who lifts his or her legs to gain an advantage or lifts out of the
chair is awarded a technical foul, in addition to the technical fouls that
may be assessed from time to time as in stand-up basketball. If a player
falls out of his chair, the referee may stop the game if the player is in
danger of being injured; otherwise, play may continue.

2.5 THREE SECONDS RULE

When a player is positioned in the painted area of the key for more than
three seconds in wheelchair basketball, the tree seconds rule applies. This
can happen on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.
Regardless of whether the violation is committed on attack or defense, the
penalty will result in a loss of possession of the ball and a reward of
possession to the other side. There are a few exceptions. One of these is
that if a player is on his or her third second penalty, if they are exiting the
paint, the game will continue normally. Another example is if a player on
the team that has possession of the ball decides to shoot then it is okey
for the player in the paint to stay in order to get the opportunity to
rebound the ball

2.6 SHOT CLOCK VIOLATION

Players are given a twenty-four second shot clock to indicate them how
much time they must shoot the ball. Failure to make a shot in the allotted
24 seconds results in a shot clock violation, which gives the ball to the
opposing team. The shot clock starts when a player's wheelchair touches
the ball or when a player meets the ball.
However, for the shot clock to be set to 14 seconds instead of twenty-
four, the ball must hit the rim of the hoop. A shot clock violation occurs
when the ball does not touch any area of the rim, resulting in a turnover.

2.7 TRAVELING
Wheelchair basketball differs from traditional basketball in terms of travel.
When a player in full control of the
ball utilizes more than two pushes in
any direction to move with the ball
without dribbling or losing control of
the ball, this is referred to as
traveling. Any rotating actions, like
ball advancement up the court, are
to be counted as active pushes, and
if any active pivot exceeds two
pushes, it will be counted as a travel. If a player is called for traveling, it is
considered a turnover, and the ball is given to the opposing team.

2.8 OUT OF BOUNDS

A wheelchair basketball court's parameters are identical to those of a
regulated professional basketball
court. A turnover occurs when a player
in possession of the ball goes out of
bounds or loses possession of the ball
out of bounds, and the ball is passed to
the other team. Because the
wheelchair is considered part of the
player's body, it will be deemed as a
turnover if the player's wheels or any portion of the chair is out of bounds
while in possession of the ball. If the ball passes out of bounds, the player
who touched it receives a turnover and the ball is sent to the opposing
team.

2.9 FREE THROWS

A free throw is when a player is given the opportunity to score without
being guarded by a defender in their space. If the basket is made, a free
throw is worth one point. A maximum of four defenders should be
positioned on the painted area's side hashes when shooting a free throw,
with two offensive players.

 CLASSIFICATION
Classification is the process by which a team’s total functional potential on the
court is leveled off with respect to its opponent. It is a functional evaluation
taking into consideration each player’s ability to perform skills specific to the
sport of wheelchair basketball; wheeling, dribbling, passing, reaction to contact,
shooting, rebounding. Each player is then assigned a point value based on their
functional ability. That point value determines a player’s classification.
Wheelchair basketball rules include player classifications as follows.

Class I

Complete motor loss at T-7 or above, or comparable disability where there is

total loss of muscle function originating at or above T 7.

Class II

Complete motor loss originating at T-8 and descending through and including L-
2 where there may be motor power of hips and thighs.

Also included in these classes are amputees with bilateral hip dis-articulation.

Class III

All other physical disabilities as related to lower extremity paralysis or paresis

originating at or below L-3.

All lower extremity amputees are included in this class, except those with
bilateral hip dis-articulation (see Class II).

3. EQUIPMENT, PLAYING FIELD

The lack of essential equipment is one of the charms of wheelchair
basketball. A sports wheelchair and a basketball are the only items need
for this enjoyable team activity.
Wheelchair basketball is typically played on a basketball court in an arena
or gym, although it may also be played indoors or outdoors, and anywhere
with a level surface and a net.

Wheelchair basketball keeps most of basketball's major rules and scoring,

as well as a 10-foot hoop and a conventional basketball court, usually
composed of highly polished hardwood. Basketball courts are available in
a variety of sizes.

 The baseline - this is the end line of a basketball court.

 The basket - the basket hoop is measured exactly 0.5 m (18 in) in
diameter and hangs 3m (10 ft) above the ground. The hoop is
mounted to a backboard – this is used by the players to deflect the
ball into the net.
 Sideline - this line marks the court out both sides.
 The key in basketball is an area of the court that extends from
the free throw line, or foul line, to the baseline, or endline. The
baseline is the boundary line that runs along the edge of the
basketball court, behind the backboard of the hoop, and
determines when a ball is out of bounds.

 The Three-Point Line is a semi-circle surrounding each team’s basket

area. The team will earn three points when one of its players shoots
the ball behind the three-point line. If the player shoots within the
line, the team will only receive two points.
  The free throw line in basketball is the line placed fifteen feet in
front of the hoop parallel with the end lines. This is where all free
throws are attempted from
 Center line: Line midway between and parallel to the baselines that
divides the court into halves

4. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STANDARD BASKETBALL AND WHEELCHAIR

BASKETBALL
Wheelchair basketball is different by the fact that the players are sitting down in
sports wheelchairs. It is also different in certain aspects like fouls and rules we
have your normal rules regarding things like traveling, no touching, are fouls
however are Very different because we have wheelchairs. This requires us to
defend in a certain way. We cannot charge into a person or hit someone with
the front of our wheelchair. People with lower body disabilities can play
wheelchair basketball as it only requires upper body strength to play. Just like
normal basketball after to steps you are required to bounce the ball, wheelchair
basketball you need to bounce the ball after 2 pushes.

5. INTERESTING FACTS AND HOW WHEELCHAIR BASKET CHANGED

A PERSON´S LIFE
Tao, 34, was born poor without access
to proper medical care. Unlike Sieng, she
had never walked. When Tao was one,
she suffered a high fever that left her
unconscious for a few days. Her legs
never fully developed; she also
contracted polio. Tao got her first
wheelchair when she was a teenager.
Before that, she had to crawl wherever she wanted to go. Now she loves her
wheelchair: “It’s so easy to move around with it.”

Both Sieng and Tao spent years hating their bodies and resenting what had
happened to them. But with every ball that went through the hoop, every
dribble, and every shared struggle over lunch with their teammates, they
realized that their bodies were still strong and capable of wonderful
achievements.
Some interesting facts:

 The sport originated in the 1940s in the United States. Many amateur
basketball players suffered injuries from serving in the armed forces
during the second world war and developed wheelchair basketball to
keep playing.
 Anyone can have a go at an amateur level, whether you are disabled
or not. Eytle coaches a range of people in wheelchair basketball. "Not
everyone knows it as an inclusive sport – so you can bring your friend,
your brother, your sister, whoever," she says
 The wheelchair is treated as an extension of the player's body, so if
part of the chair touches a line, then the player is touching the line.
Just like in regular basketball, players are not allowed to travel with
the ball. They must bounce it after every two pushes of the
wheelchair.

CONCLUSION: Paralympic sports do an excellent job in society as they include

all people in the sports world, in this case those who suffer from a disability,
promoting the spirit of improvement and more importantly equality regardless
of any condition such as a handicap