YEAR

EVENTS

RESULTS

1945

Wheelchair basketball first played at Corona Naval Station, California, and at Framingham, Massachusetts, USA, two of many U.S. Veterans Administration Hospitals (VAH).

1946

Spread of game to other U.S. VAH.

Flying Wheels of Birmingham (CA) VAH embark on first of 10 annual cross‑country exhibition tours sponsored by the Los Angeles Herald Express.

1947

Organized activity exclusive preserve of veterans teams associated with VAHs.

1948

Kansas City Wheelchair Bulldozers organized as first home town (club) team.  In England, Stoke Mandeville Games initiated with 16 WWII paralyzed veterans at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Netball, a sport reminiscent of basketball, played outdoors on macadam pitch.

First U.S. Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Championship awarded to California Flying Wheels based on composite record. Lyme Green Settlement wins first Stoke Mandeville netball championship.

1949

First National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NWBT) held in Galesburg, Illinois with 6 teams. Formation of National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). Playing rules published based on Flying Wheels' and Kansas City's adaptations of regular NCAA rules.

Second PVA title awarded to Bronx VAH Rollers. Kansas City wins 1st NWBT. Lyme Green wins 2nd straight Stoke Mandeville Games netball championship.

1950

T.J. Nugent of University of Illinois appointed Technical Advisor of NWBA.

National PVA championship undecided. St.Louis Rolling Rams win 2nd NWBT. Lyme Green wins 3rd straight Stoke Mandeville Games netball championship.

1952

First International Stoke Mandeville Games held at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England with entry of 4 Dutch veterans.

St.Louis Rams win 4th NWBT. Lyme Green wins 5th straight Stoke Mandeville Games netball championship.

1953

NWBA grows to 15 teams.

University of Illinois Gizz Kids win 5th NWBT; Lyme Green wins 6th straight Stoke Mandeville netball championship.

1954

Montreal (Canada) Wheelchair Wonders invited to take part in 6th NWBT in New York City.

New Jersey Wheelers win 6th NWBT. Lyme Green wins 7th straight Stoke Mandeville netball championship.

1955

U.S. Pan Am Jets travel to England to play wheelchair basketball. Jets win gold medal in "netball" at International Stoke Mandeville Games (ISMG). Controversy stirred from interpretation of rules. Baskets count only 1 point.

ISMG: 1st Pan American Jets (USA) 21, 2nd Duchess of Gloucester 3.

1956

Pan Am Jets win 8th NWBT; travel to England to win 5th ISMGs netball competition.

ISMG: Complete Lesion: 1st Lyme Green, 2nd France.

ISMG: Incomplete Lesion: 1st Pan Am Jets 36, Lyme Green 8.

1957

Pan Am Jets play intersquad game before 15,000 spectators in Rio de Janeiro and before 25,000 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Jets disqualified in ISMG title game against Netherlands for rough play.

ISMG: Incomplete Lesion: 1st The Netherlands.

1958

At the ISMGs, Halton Royal Air Force referees called upon to officiate games and draft first international rules.

ISMG: Complete Lesion: 1st Great Britain, 2nd Israel.

ISMG: Incomplete Lesion: 1st Pan Am Jets (USA); 2nd Netherlands.

1959

ISMG: Complete Lesion: 1st Great Britain, 2nd France.

ISMG: Incomplete Lesion: 1st Pan Am Jets (USA); 2nd Netherlands.

1960

ISMG held in Rome, Italy immediately following Olympiad. 6 nations in Class A (complete); 10 in B (incomplete). Tournament held on compacted, sandy surface outdoors. Free throw line 1 metre in front of line for basketball.

ISMG: Complete Lesion: 1st USA, 2nd Great Britain.

ISMG: Incomplete Lesion: 1st USA, 2nd Netherlands.

1961

USA enters national teams in ISMG made up of players selected by National Wheelchair Athletic Association.

ISMG: Complete Lesion: 1st Great Britain, 2nd USA, 3rd Belgium.

ISMG: Incomplete Lesion: 1st USA, 2nd Italy, 3rd Great Britain.

1962

ISMG competition sees 4 teams entered in complete lesion division, 10 in incomplete. British Commonwealth Games held in Perth, Australia.

ISMG: Complete Lesion: 1st USA, 2nd Great Britain.

ISMG: Incomplete Lesion: 1st USA, 2nd Italy.

1963

3 teams entered in complete division, 10 in incomplete.

ISMG: Complete Lesion: 1st Great Britain, 2nd USA, 3rd France.

ISMG: Incomplete Lesion: 1st USA, 2nd Israel, 3rd France.

1964

Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Basic FIBA rules accepted for 1964‑68. Dribble rule called for 'alternately bouncing the ball twice at the side of the chair'.

Complete Lesion: 1st USA, 2nd Great Britain, 3rd Israel.

Incomplete Lesion: 1st USA, 2nd Argentina, 3rd Israel.

1965

ISMG: Complete Lesion: 1st Great Britain, 2nd USA.

ISMG: Incomplete Lesion: 1st USA, 2nd Italy.

1966

Complete and Incomplete classification system in basketball merged into single competition with 3 classes and 12 points introduced. British Commonwealth Games held in Kingston, Jamaica.

1967

First Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Full spectrum of ISMGF sports offered. Basketball conducted on basis of point systems: 1 competition for national teams totalling 11 points; other competition for national teams totalling 9 points.

ISMG: 1st Israel 63, 2nd Italy 29, 3rd USA 45, 4th Belgium 34.

Pan Am: 1st USA 34, 2nd Canada 14, and 1st USA 28, 2nd Canada 18 (2 of 3).

1968

Paralympic Games in Tel Aviv, Israel. Overflow crowd at Spivak Center watches championship game in men's basketball. First women's competitions held.

Men: 1st Israel 47, 2nd USA 37, 3rd Great Britain.

Women: 1st Israel 17, 2nd Argentina 12, 3rd USA.

1969

Stoke Mandeville stadium officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II. II Pan American Games held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

ISMG: 1st Israel, 2nd France.

Pan Am: 1st Argentina, 2nd USA.

1970

NWBA establishes Hall of Fame at Meetings of 22nd NWBT. British Commonwealth Games held in Edinburgh, Scotland. First European Championships for men held in Bruges, Belgium.

ISMG: Men: 1st USA 49, 2nd Argentina 41, 3rd Israel.

ISMG: Women: 1st Argentina, 2nd Great Britain, 3rd Jamaica.

Euro Championships: 1st Belgium, 2nd France, 3rd Great Britain.

1971

Two‑division system introduced for men's competitions at Stoke Mandeville. III Pan American Games held in Kingston, Jamaica. II Euro Championships for men in Kerpape, France.

ISMG: Division I: 1st Israel, 2nd Argentina, 3rd USA.

ISMG: Division II: 1st Sweden, 2nd Germany, 3rd Portugal.

Pan Am: 1st USA 66, 2nd Argentina 50.

Euro Championships: 1st Great Britain, 2nd France.

1972

Olympic‑year competition held in Heidelberg, Germany. Team balance points reduced from 12 to 11. New rule approved for mixed dribble: dribbling with one hand while pushing with the other. Agreement that rules may be amended only in Olympic years.

Men: Division I: 1st USA 59, 2nd Israel 58, 3rd Argentina, 4th Great Britain.

Men: Division II: 1st Germany 40, 2nd Belgium 36, 3rd Spain.

Women: 1st Argentina 28, 2nd Jamaica 25, 3rd Israel.

1973

Establishment of ISMGF Basketball Sub‑Committee of 3 members. First annual meeting held with 18 reps of basketball‑playing nations present. Andre Raes of Belgium elected Chairman. 1st Gold Cup tournament with 8 European nations held in Bruges, Belgium. IV Pan Am Games held in Lima, Peru. Liberalized dribble rule universally accepted.

ISMG: Men: Division I: 1st Argentina, 2nd Israel, 3rd USA.

ISMG: Men: Division II: 1st Canada, 2nd Spain, 3rd Brazil.

ISMG: Women: 1st France, 2nd Germany, 3rd Great Britain.

Pan Am: Men: 1st Argentina, 2nd USA.

Gold Cup: 1st Great Britain 50, 2nd France 37, 3rd Netherlands.

1974

Basketball Sub‑Committee establishes Referees Commission to license referees at ISMG. III European Championships for men held in Kerpape, France. First European Championships for women held in Kerpape, France. British Commonwealth Games held in Dunedin, New Zealand.

ISMG: Division I: 1st Argentina 57, 2nd USA 46, 3rd Great Britain.

ISMG: Division II: 1st Belgium 37, 2nd Brazil 35, 3rd Italy.

Euro Championships: Men: 1st Great Britain 45, 2nd Netherlands 40, 3rd France.

Euro Championships: Women: 1st Germany 35, 2nd France 20, 3rd Yugoslavia

1975

V Pan Am Games held in Mexico City. 11 nations compete in II Gold Cup in Bruges, Belgium. First candidates for international referee licences examined at Stoke Mandeville Games.

ISMG: Men: Division I: 1st Israel 52, 2nd USA 47, 3rd Argentina.

ISMG: Men: Division II: 1st Spain, 2nd Italy, 3rd South Africa.

ISMG: Women: 1st Germany, 2nd Israel, 3rd Argentina.

Pan Am: 1st Argentina 49, 2nd USA 40.

Gold Cup: 1st Israel 50, 2nd USA 47, 3rd Great Britain.

1976

Olympiad for the Disabled held in Toronto, Canada. Stan Labanowich, USA, elected Chairman of ISMGF Basketball Sub‑Committee. Canadian women's team plays in 1st National Women's Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Detroit, Michigan. 1st West European Wheelchair Basketball tournament for club teams held.

Men: 1st USA 59, 2nd Israel 46, 3rd France.

Women: 1st Israel 39, 2nd Germany 32, 3rd Argentina.

1st NWWBT: Canada 23, Motor City 16.

1977

Canadian women's team wins 5‑team 2nd NWWBT in Champaign, Illinois.

IV European Championships for men held in Raalte, Netherlands.

ISMG: Men: Division I: 1st Netherlands 60, 2nd Great Britain 24, 3rd USA.

ISMG: Men: Division II: 1st Brazil, 2nd Italy, 3rd Australia.

ISMG: Women: 1st Germany, 2nd Canada, 3rd USA.

2nd NWWBT: 1st Canada, 2nd Illinois Ms. Kids.

Euro Championships: 1st Israel, 2nd Netherlands, 3rd France.

1978

Gold Cup committee formed with Gold Cup Founder Andre Raes of Belgium as Chairman. VI Pan Am Games held in Rio de Janiero, Brazil with 7 teams entered in basketball. V Euro Championships for men held in Lorient, France.

ISMG: Men: Division I: 1st Netherlands 67, 2nd Israel 53, 3rd USA.

ISMG: Men: Division II: 1st Belgium, 2nd Japan, 3rd Denmark.

ISMG: Women: 1st Germany 47, 2nd Israel 41.

Pan Am: Women: Argentina 34, Canada 25.

Euro Championships: 1st Israel, 2nd France, 3rd Netherlands.

1979

III Gold Cup with 10 nations entered held in Tampa, Florida, USA. First large scale international wheelchair sport competition held in North America. All game officials required to be licensed through procedures established by Basketball Sub‑Committee.

ISMG: Division I: 1st France 70, 2nd Argentina 58, 3rd Israel.

ISMG: Division II: 1st Mexico, 2nd Denmark, 3rd Japan.

Gold Cup: 1st USA 60, 2nd Netherlands 49, 3rd France.

1980

ISMGF founder, Sir Ludwig Guttmann dies at 80. Olympics for the Disabled held in Arnhem, Holland. Stan Labanowich, USA, reelected Chairman of ISMGF Basketball Sub‑Committee ‑ expanded to 5 members. Ratification and publication of Policy and Procedures Manual. Petition submitted to ISMGF Executive Committee to allow amputees to play in international competition. Vancouver bid accepted for IV Gold Cup Championship.

Men: 1st Israel 54, 2nd Netherlands 44, 3rd USA.

Women: 1st Germany 58, 2nd Israel 37, 3rd USA.

1981

VI European Championships for men held in Geneva, Switzerland. 16 nations agree to revise Sub‑Committee petition to include all non‑spinal cord related disabilities. Gold Cup tournament to be limited to 12 teams.

Euro Championships: 1st Israel 74, 2nd France 68, 3rd Netherlands.

ISMG: Division I: 1st France 63, 2nd Sweden 62, 3rd Mexico.

ISMG: Division II: 1st Austria 84, 2nd Japan 73, 3rd South Africa.

1982

ISMGF Council approves basketball petition to include non‑spinal cord disabled individuals. VII European Championships for Men held in Falun, Sweden. Player Classification Committee established to implement Strohkendl's functional classification system. Case book published. Gold Cup designated as World Wheelchair Basketball Championship. Vancouver withdraws as host of IV Gold Cup for financial reasons. Halifax, Nova Scotia hosts VII Pan American Wheelchair Games.

ISMG: Men: Division I: 1st Sweden, 2nd Israel, 3rd Great Britain.

ISMG: Men: Division II: 1st Australia, 2nd Brazil, 3rd South Africa.

ISMG: Women: 1st Germany, 2nd Israel, 3rd Sweden.

Euro Championships: 1st France 63, 2nd Israel 58, 3rd Sweden.

Pan Am Men: USA 51, Canada 36.

Pan Am Women: USA 39, Canada 38.

1983

Basketball Sub‑Committee approves 'Strohkendl System of Functional Classification'. IV Gold Cup (World) Championships held in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Melbourne, Australia approved as 1986 site. Six‑nation women's tournament held in Angers, France.

ISMG: Division I: 1st Italy, 2nd Israel, 3rd Japan.

ISMG: Division II: 1st Brazil, 2nd Switzerland, 3rd South Africa.

Gold Cup: 1st USA 86, 2nd France 67, 3rd Sweden.

Angers: 1st Netherlands 54, 2nd USA 52, 3rd Canada.

1984

VII World Wheelchair Games held at Stoke Mandeville, England. Stan Labanowich reelected Chairman of ISMGF Basketball Section for third term. Extensive revision of Policy and Procedures Manual. Executive Committee expanded to 7 members. Holland bid approved for hosting VIII European Championships. International Club Championships at London include wheelchair basketball for first time.

Men: 1st France 68, 2nd Netherlands 61, 3rd Sweden.

Women: 1st Germany 42, 2nd Israel 32, 3rd Japan.

1985

VIII European Championships in Holland cancelled for financial reasons. Qualification tournament for 1986 World Championships approved for Belgium. Host British Paraplegic Sport Society agrees to allow amputees and other non‑spinal cord disabled to play in the annual ISMG beginning in 1986. ISMGF bans South Africa from participating in all sports.

ISMG: Men: 1st Spain 60, 2nd Great Britain 55, 3rd Australia.

1986

11 teams participate in V Gold Cup Championship in Melbourne, Australia. Belgium Federation approved to hold VI Gold Cup in Bruges in 1990. Select U.S. national team defeats Spain 62‑59 in demonstration game during the FIBA World Championships in Madrid attended by IOC President Juan Samaranch. Pan Am Games in Puerto Rico marred by absence of U.S. teams in protest of organization based on pre‑1982 ISMGF rules.

Gold Cup: 1st USA 61, 2nd Canada 40, 3rd Netherlands.

ISMG Men: 1st Australia, 2nd Great Britain, 3rd USA.

ISMG: Women: 1st Germany, 2nd USA, 3rd Japan.

Pan Am Men: 1st Argentina 69, 2nd Canada 67, 3rd Mexico.

Pan Am Women: 1st Argentina 45, 2nd Canada 42, 3rd Mexico.

1987

VIII European Championships for men (12 teams) and the 2nd European Championships for women (6 teams) held in Lorient, France. Executive Committee meets with representatives of the FIBA Committee for Disabled Basketball for first time in Lorient.

Euro Championships: Men: 1st France 63, 2nd Netherlands 50, 3rd Belgium.

Euro Championships: Women: 1st Germany, 2nd Israel, 3rd Netherlands.

ISMG: Men: 1st USA 48, 2nd Canada 46, 3rd Great Britain.

1988

VIIIth Paralympic Games held in Seoul, Korea where basketball is played in same facilities used for the Olympic Games. 18 men's and women's teams entered. Phil Craven of Great Britain elected Chairman of the ISMGF Basketball Section as countries approve basis for new constitution featuring establishment of 7 zones and enlargement of the Executive Committee. Mid‑year meeting held at Stoke Mandeville with 2 FIBA representatives present.

Paralympic Games: Men: 1st USA 74, 2nd Netherlands 63, 3rd France.

Paralympic Games: Women: 1st USA 38, 2nd Germany 31, 3rd Netherlands.

1989

IX European Championships for men (12 teams) and III European Championships for women (8 teams) held in Charleville‑Meziere, France. Annual meeting approves final draft of Constitution which calls for name change to International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF).

Euro Championships: Women: 1st Netherlands 40, 2nd Germany 37, 3rd Israel.

ISMG: 1st Canada 68, 2nd USA 50, 3rd Austria.

1990

Mid‑year meeting of Executive Committee held in Boston, Massachusetts. Phil Craven meets with FIBA Secretary General, Borislav Stankovic, to set stage for future relationship. Craven represents IWBF in discussions with Barcelona Olympic Organizing Committee (COOB'92) and agrees to limiting men's teams to 12 and women's to 8. IWBF Internal Regulations approved. First world championship for women (Gold Cup) held in St.Etienne, France. V World Championships for men (VI Gold Cup) held in Bruges, Belgium. IWBF/FIBA sponsored clinic for game officials held in Treviso, Italy. Pan Am Games held in Caracas, Venezuela.

Gold Cup (Women): 1st USA 58, 2nd Germany 55, 3rd Canada.

Gold Cup (Men): 1st France 62, 2nd USA 61, 3rd Canada.

WSMWG: 1st USA 75, 2nd Israel 26, 3rd Canada.

1991

Mid‑year meeting of Executive Committee held in Edmonton, Alberta. IOC turns down IWBF application (with FIBA support) for four team demonstration tournament at 1992 Olympiad in Barcelona. Inaugural Meeting of IWBF European Zone, Hans Tukker elected President. X European Championships for Men and IV European Championships for Women held in Ferrol, Spain.

European Championships (Men): 1st France 57, 2nd The Netherlands 50, 3rd Great Britain 85, 4th Israël 59.

European Championships (Women): 1st Germany 49, 2nd The Netherlands 48, 3rd France.

WSMWG (Men): 1st Canada, 2nd USA, 3rd Great Britain, 4th Austria.

WSMWG (Women): 1st Canada, 2nd Germany, 3rd USA, 4th Great Britain.

1992

Mid-year meeting of Executive Committee held in Stoke Mandeville.

Pre-Paralympic Tournaments held in Mexico City and Stoke Mandeville.

Wheelchair basketball became major sporting spectacle at IX Paralympic Games in Barcelona with crowds of 12,500 and many thousands unable to enter the Badalona stadium.

At Quadrennial Meeting Philip Craven re-elected as President of IWBF for further two years until 1994 World Congress.

André Raes and Stan Labanowich become Executive Members Emeritus.

Inaugural meeting of the IWBF Mediterranean Zone in October. Rizk Al-Masri elected President.

Paralympic Games: Men: 1st The Netherlands, 2nd Germany, 3rd France, 4th Canada. The USA won the final but was later disqualified owing to a doping infringement.

Paralympic Games: Women: 1st Canada 35, 2nd USA 26, 3rd The Netherlands 42, 4th Australia 33.

1993

Inaugural meeting of the IWBF South American Zone in February. Sheila Bastos Salgado elected President.

Mid-year meeting of Executive Committee in Boston, Massachusetts.

Annual Meeting in Berlin in June votes overwhelmingly for the IWBF's independence from ISMWSF.

The IWBF European Zone organizes the XI European Championships for Men and the V European Championships for Women in Berlin.

Robert Perri, founding father of French Wheelchair Basketball, becomes first recipient of Gold Medal Triad.

Development clinics held in Jordan in March and in Iran in April.
Mid-year meeting held in Bruges, Belgium in late December 1993.

Philip Craven appointed Chief Executive Officer.

Euro Championships: Men: 1st The Netherlands 57, 2nd Great Britain 52, 3rd France 61, 4th Germany 42.

Euro Championships: Women: 1st The Netherlands 53, 2nd Germany 38, 3rd France 38, 4th Israel 32.

1994

ISMWSF recognizes the IWBF's independence and signs a letter of co-operation between the two organizations.

Henk Makkenze, a truly great captain of the Netherlands and one of the world's greatest players ever, and André Raes, the first Chairman of the ISMGF Basketball Section and creator of the Men's Gold Cup and European Championship competition, receive the IWBF Gold Medal Triad.

Men's Gold Cup Qualification Tournament held in Tehran, Iran in April.

1st South American Cup and Americas Gold Cup Qualification Tournament held in Rio de Janeiro in April.

VII Men's Gold Cup Finals held in Edmonton, Alberta in July along with the 1st IWBF World Congress. Philip Craven re-elected President of IWBF with Tip Thiboutot Vice-President.

1st Junior Men's Tournament held at Stoke Mandeville in July.

II Women's Gold Cup Finals held in Stoke Mandeville in August.

Coaching clinic in Palestine in September.

Gold Cup Qualification Tehran: Japan qualified in 1st and Australia 2nd from this tournament for Gold Cup purposes.

South American Cup and Gold Cup Qualification, Rio: Argentina wins South American Cup; Brazil places second. USA wins Gold Cup Qualification Tournament and Argentina and Brazil qualify in position 2 and 3 respectively.

Euro Championships: Men: Division B: 1st Finland, 2nd Italy, 3rd Ireland, 4th Slovenia.

Gold Cup (Men): 1st USA 67, 2nd Great Britain 53, 3rd Canada 72, 4th France 62.

Gold Cup (Women): 1st Canada 45, 2nd USA 34, 3rd Australia 38, 4th the Netherlands 36.

1995

Mid-year meeting held in Paris, France in early January. Ed Owen, one of the world's greatest ever players awarded the 1995 Gold Medal Triad award.

1995 and the first part of 1996 sees qualification tournaments for the Mens’ Paralympic Championship taking place in each of the IWBF’s four regions of the world. The first is the European Championship in Paris, France in July; the second is in Amman, Jordan in August for the Meditteranean Zone; the third in Yamagata, Japan in September, with the final tournament being the following February in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

VI Womens’ European Championship takes place in Delden, The Netherlands in November.

Administratively, Amman, Jordan, is the location for the Summer 1995 Executive Committee Meeting, and in Yamagata in September the Asia Zone is founded, under the Presidency of Katsayuki Hamamoto.

European Championships Men: 1st Great Britain 55; 2nd Spain 54; 3rd The Netherlands 64; 4th France 45. Sweden joined the first four countries in qualifying for the Atlanta Paralympic Games.

European Championships Women: 1st The Netherlands; 2nd Germany; 3rd Great Britain; 4th Israel. The first three qualified for Atlanta.

Paralympic Qualification, Amman, Jordan: 1st Iraq (qualified for Atlanta); 2nd Egypt; 3rd Jordan.

Paralympic Qualification, Yamagata, Japan: 1st Australia; 2nd Japan; 3rd Korea. Australia and Japan qualify for Atlanta.

1996

4th – 7th January IWBF first Training the Trainers Clinic takes place at the Santa Lucia Centre in Rome, Italy.

The Summer meeting of the IWBF Executive in the southern hemisphere takes place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in February. Extensive discussions take place regarding future relationships with FIBA.

In Buenos Aires in February the final Mens’ Paralympic Games Qualification Tournament takes place.

10th – 13th April - curtain raiser takes place between the USA and the Rest of the World in Atlanta, Georgia. The USA defeats the Rest of the World in an exciting match.

In May, the first European symposium on wheelchair basketball takes place in Madrid, Spain and in late June/early July, the second European B championship for nations takes place in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

In August, two outstanding wheelchair basketball tournaments for men and women take place at the Atlanta Paralympic Games.

At a special reception, more than 200 players and officials witness the initiation of Stan Labanowich and Tim Nugent as the 1996 recipients of the IWBF’s Gold Medal Triad award.

Paralympic Qualification, Buenos Aires, Argentina: 1st Canada; 2nd Mexico; 3rd Argentina; 4th Brazil. The first three qualified for Atlanta.

World Challenge, Atlanta, 13th April: USA 49 – Rest of the World 37.

European B Championships, Ljubljana, Slovenia: 1st Israel 45; 2nd Belgium 41; 3rd Slovenia 53; 4th Czech Republic 37.

Atlanta Paralympic Games Mens’ Tournament: 1st Australia 78; 2nd Great Britain 63; 3rd United States 66; 4th Spain 60.

Womens’ Tournament: 1st Canada 46; 2nd The Netherlands 37; 3rd United States 41; 4th Australia 30.

At the same reception, IWBF launches its book commemorating the 50 years of wheelchair basketball, authored by Horst Strohkendl, Philip Craven and Tip Thiboutot.

The second Executive Committee Meeting of 1996 takes place in Paris, France in November.

1997

1997 sees the start of another round of qualification tournaments, this time for the 1998 Gold Cup, with two qualification tournaments programmed for women on this occasion.

The first tournament is in Madrid, Spain at the end of June and, on this occasion, the championships were for both men and women. Baruch Hagai, possibly the greatest player of all time, was awarded at these championships the 1997 IWBF Gold Medal Triad award.

In late July and early August, there is a junior womens’ clinic and competition at Stoke Mandeville, followed on the 3^rd and 4^th August by the IWBF Executive Committee Meeting at Stoke Mandeville, where it is decided to disband the Meditteranean Zone.

The first World Junior Championships for Men (aged 22 and under) takes place in Canada in late August and the second Qualification Tournament for Men for Gold Cup 1998 takes place in December in Taipei in the Republic of China.

An outstanding moment in 1997 was a meeting at the FIBA offices in Munich in November, where it was obvious that the IWBF was being viewed in a different light by FIBA and would become a close partner of FIBA in the coming years.

XIII European Championships for Men: 1st France 46; 2nd Great Britain 44; 3rd Finland 59; 4th Spain 53. The Netherlands join the first four countries in qualifying for the 1998 Gold Cup.

VII European Championships for Women: 1st The Netherlands 36; 2nd Germany 32; 3rd Great Britain 48; 4th Israel 12. The first three qualify for the 1998 Gold Cup.

I Mens’ World Junior Championship: 1st Canada 68; 2nd USA 47; 3rd Australia 63; 4th Germany 60; 5th Great Britain 61; 6th France 48; 7th Poland.

I Asia Cup and Gold Cup Qualifying Tournament, Chinese Taipei: 1st Japan 82; 2nd Korea 36; 3rd Iran 54; 4th Chinese Taipei 46. Japan and Korea qualify for the 1998 Gold Cup.

1998

The third Mens’ Qualification Tournament for Gold Cup 1998 takes place in Cairo, Egypt in March, as does the first IWBF Executive Committee meeting of 1998.

At a meeting in Cairo, the disbanded IWBF Meditteranean Zone was reformed as the Afro Arab Zone under the presidency of Toufic Allouche.

The final qualification tournament for Gold Cup ’98 for both men and women takes place in Winnipeg, Canada in May.

During the prize-giving ceremony at the Winnipeg tournament, the first of two Gold Medal Triad awards for 1998 was presented to USA All-Star player, Susan Hagel.

Mens’ Gold Cup Qualification Tournament Cairo: 1st Egypt; 2nd Algeria; 3rd Kuwait; 4th