History of Wheelchair Racing

The history of wheelchair racing has its origins in the aftermath of World Wars I and II, as international society began to recognize the value of physically and mentally injured people. Wheelchair racing developed along with a wide range of games and sports for the disabled, and is today primarily practiced at events with other track, field and sporting competitions.

  1. Rules and Regulations

    • Wheelchair racing is is a race across a set distance between two or more athletes with qualifying types of conditions, disabilities, amputations or spinal cord injuries.
      Athletes are classified by disability to keep races fair.

    Origins

    • Sir Lugwig Guttmann, director of the Spinal Injuries Center at Stroke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury, England, introduced competitive sports as a part of rehabilitation for injured veterans during the aftermath of WWII. Stroke Mandeville held an event called "Games for the Paralyzed" in 1948.

    Early History

    • The first international competition for athletes in wheelchairs was held in 1952. Participating countries were England and the Netherlands. The International Olympic Committee recognized Guttman's work in 1956.

    The ISMWFV

    • The International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation, or ISMWFV, was formed in 1960.

    Development

    • The International Sports Organization for the Disabled, or ISOD, was formed in Paris in 1964. In 1976, the Olympiad for the Physically Disabled was expanded to include other impairments besides spinal injuries, such as athletes with cerebral palsy. Today, athletes compete in specialized wheelchairs that allow for speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour.