Wheelchair Basketball was created by American veterans of the Second World War, in 1945/1946, and integrated into the Rome Paralympic Games in 1960.
Played by athletes with physical disabilities that impede or hinder movement and jumping, the sport quickly became one of the most popular of the Games.
The event is open to men and women, and points are assigned to each player, depending on their functional classification, which vary from 0.5 (the most severely disabled) to 4.5. The total amount for each team may not exceed 14 points. The game is played on courts that are identical to traditional Basketball courts.
