Wheelchair rugby had first appeared as a demonstration sport during the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games. The sport later made its Paralympic debut during the Sydney 2000 Games in which eight teams competed.

The matches are played indoors on a basketball court. The game is played in teams of four known as quad rugby that both men and women are welcome to compete. Only four athletes at a time from one team are permitted on the court but a team may consist of up to 12 athletes. Players are categorised into seven different classes based on their disability.

Wheelchair rugby is a full-contact sport in which athletes aim to score points by carrying the ball across the opponent’s try line. The try line defines the place that must be crossed with the ball to score a point. Striking a player from the back results in a penalty, but all other attacks on a player’s wheelchair are fair game. Matches are played over four eight-minute quarters.

World Wheelchair Rugby (WWR) is the global governing body of the sport.
 

Source of information credit: International Paralympic Committee