Wheelchair Basketball Rules vs. Regular Basketball Rules

Wheelchair sports are becoming more and more popular every year. Being confined to a wheelchair no longer inhibits an individual’s ability to participate in recreational activities. Much like normal sports leagues, there are different levels of competitiveness for wheelchair sports enthusiasts.

If you’re considering joining a wheelchair team or league – there are a few rule changes you should be aware of. While the rules for most sports remain the same, there are a few key changes to some sports. For the purpose of this article, we’ve decided to focus specifically on wheelchair basketball.

Here are some of the rules you’ll see change when watching or playing wheelchair basketball vs. regular basketball:

Traveling

Regular Basketball: When it comes to regular basketball no travelling is probably the most important rule to remember. A player who moves both feet while the basketball is in his/her hands is guilty of traveling.

Double-Dribbling

Regular Basketball: Similarly, double-dribbling is a commonly broken rule, whereby the player dribbles the ball, holds the ball and then begins dribbling again.

Traveling and Double-Dribbling in Wheelchair Basketball: When it comes to wheelchair basketball, the rules are easy. If a player touches his/her wheels more than two times after he/she received or dribbled the ball they are guilty of travelling/double-dribbling in the sport of wheelchair basketball.

Travelling and double dribbling are the most noticeable differences when it comes to regular basketball and wheelchair basketball. For the most part, the two sports are very similar and, if you’ve learned the rules to one, it will be very easy to adapt to the other.

Since 1973 the IWBF (International Wheelchair Basketball Federation) has been overseeing this increasingly popular sport. Wheelchair basketball, along with other sports like wheelchair tennis or wheelchair hockey, has become an extremely popular event in the Paralympic Games.

Whether you decide to participate in the sport for competitive purposes or recreational purposes, there’s a lot of fun to be had with this sport. So stop waiting and join in.

To learn more about the sport, visit the official site for the Paralympic Games.