(TORONTO, ONT.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada is pleased to announce the men’s Under-23 team has been selected to participate in the IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship in Phuket, Thailand. The 12-team tournament will take place from Sept. 8-16, 2022.
Team Canada will participate in Group A with Brazil, Spain, Turkey, Japan, and France.
“This is an excellent opportunity for our Under-23 program to showcase their talent on the world stage,” said Jeff Dunbrack, Wheelchair Basketball Canada High Performance Director. “The tournament will provide an opportunity for some future stars of our Men’s Senior Team to test their skills against the top Wheelchair Basketball teams in the world.”
In March, Canada won bronze at the IWBF America’s Men’s Under-23 Americas Championship in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
The U23 World Championship is typically held every four years, with 12 countries participating. This year’s tournament will be the seventh edition of the event. It is the first Under-23 tournament since 2017, which Toronto hosted, and Great Britain won.
To be eligible to participate, male players must be born on or after Jan. 1, 1999. The IWBF is maintaining the same age category as if the event was held in 2021 to ensure athletes wouldn’t lose their eligibility due to the postponement of last year’s event.
About Wheelchair Basketball Canada
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is the national sports governing body responsible for the organization of the sport in Canada. It is a non-profit, charitable organization committed to excellence in developing, supporting, and promoting wheelchair basketball programs and services from grassroots to high performance for all Canadians. Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competitive sport in which Canada is held in high esteem worldwide for winning a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last seven Paralympic Games. For more information, please visit wheelchairbasketball.ca.
-30-
Media Contact:
Dhiren Mahiban
Communications & Digital Media Manager
Wheelchair Basketball Canada
C: 416-574-6682
dmahiban@wheelchairbasketball.ca