The first-ever official IWBF 3x3 wheelchair basketball competition will take place this weekend in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Wheelchair Basketball South Africa welcome Namibia, Kenya, Rwanda and Gambia for the IWBF Africa 3x3 Commonwealth Games Qualifier to compete for the places to represent the Zone in Birmingham next year.
All five countries will compete in a round-robin in the men’s competition, with the teams finishing first and second in the pool competing in the final for the ticket to Birmingham. Whilst in the women’s competition South Africa and Kenya will battle it out in a best of three for the women’s spot.
IWBF Chair of Competition Commission, Charlie Bethel, said:
“We are delighted to see the sport of 3x3 get underway on the international stage. One of the goals is to use 3x3 as a tool to encourage and develop those countries that may face increased challenges and obstacles to access the sport due to the financial cost of equipment or smaller numbers of participants. This is exactly what we are seeing in Africa, as we welcome new members to the IWBF wheelchair basketball family and teams are making their international debut in Johannesburg.
“Good Luck to all teams taking part and wish all those involved in the competition much fun and success.”
The 3x3 discipline is relatively new to wheelchair basketball and this will be the first official tournament that IWBF will have hosted (due to the postponement of their 3x3 Open World Championship in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic).
Visit the IWBF Africa 3x3 Commonwealth Games Qualifier webpage to find out more information and follow all the action.
