France awarded 2022 Wheelchair Rugby European Championship

The IWRF is delighted to announce that the 2022 Wheelchair Rugby European Championship Division A has been awarded to France.

The European Championship will take place in Paris, 21st - 27th of February at a prestigious Parisian Sport Venue.

The European Championship Local Organising Committee is composed of members from CAPSAAA Paris Wheelchair Rugby Club, the Fédération Française Handisport and the Wheelchair Rugby French Commission.

 IWRF President Richard Allcroft said,

“This is a great way to start 2021 by looking ahead at our future competition structure. In the middle of last year the IWRF restructured its calendar up to and including Paris 2024. This required squeezing 4 years of competition in to only 3 years. France has long been a member of the IWRF and have developed their national clubs and featured at the highest level consistently. After speaking with them over the previous few months it was clear that they were passionate and committed about promoting wheelchair rugby in the lead up to the Paralympic Games taking place in Paris in 2024. I would like to congratulate them on their strategic approach and wish them all the best in their preparations”.

Head of IWRF Competitions Kathy Newman added,

“The IWRF Competitions Committee was really impressed with the bid plans received and presented from Paris, France to host the 2022 IWRF European Championship - Division A.  The Organizing Committee’s attention to detail was exemplary.  France has made a commitment to event hosting and we are excited to continue to work with France.  Each time they host an event they improve on the event delivery.  As we move towards the 2024 Paris Paralympics hosting this event will build capacity to ensure an exceptional event”.

The top eight teams in Europe will play off to see who is crowned European champion over eight days of exciting wheelchair rugby.

Guislaine Westelynck, President of the French Handisport Federation stated

 “It is a great honour for us to have the opportunity to host the 2022 European Championship. French Wheelchair Rugby have been booming for the last 10 years and France has become one of the top European nation in this discipline. On the brink of Rugby World Cup 2023 and Paralympics 2024 in Paris, we are honoured to co-organise with CAP SAAA Paris the first major international Wheelchair Rugby event in France. It is the beginning of a long story that is starting between France and IWRF to develop Wheelchair Rugby around the world”. 

Ryadh SALLEM Founder of CAP SAAA Paris added:

“With various international events already organized (Women’s Cup, Wheelchair Basketball European championship …) CAP SAAA Paris is honoured to be associated with IWRF and FFH in organizing the European Wheelchair Rugby championship A. From the 21st to the 27th of February 2022 Paris will be the capital of the European Wheelchair Rugby for the first time in its young history in France. CAP SAAA Paris is a club of para sports (Basketball, Rugby, Swimming and Archery), mental disabilities (Basket and Athletics) and is dedicated to the promotion and awareness of disability through the universal values of sport."