Tournament to return to Leicester on March 1st, 2nd 3rd 2019 with Quad Nations-sponsored again by King Power – home of Leicester City Football Club.
Following the success of the first ever Wheelchair Rugby Quad Nations event in March, it’s been revealed that the four nations of France, Canada, Japan and UK will be battling it out for supremacy at next year’s tournament.
Also revealed at the tournament’s official launch at the King Power Stadium, Thai Duty-Free giant King Power will, once again, be the title sponsor, as part of the continuing legacy of the former Chairman Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
Described by spectators and sports commentators as
This will be the second time the tournament has taken place at the Arena, following the success of the inaugural event in March, which saw our home-side battle it out between Australia, Japan and USA and attracted over 5000 supporters.
Fast paced and violent, players compete in specially-designed, manual wheelchairs and must meet a minimum disability criterion, classifiable under the sport classification rules. All competing athletes were either born with physical disabilities, or have suffered illness which has affected their mobility, or else experienced life-changing injuries through accidents, including those serving in the armed forces.
The three-day tournament marks an important performance opportunity for Great Britain ahead of the 2019 European Championships in Denmark where Team GB will defend their title, and ahead of the World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge which will be played alongside the Rugby World Cup in Tokyo in October and involve the top eight teams in the world.
David Pond, CEO of Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby said: “We are delighted to return to Leicester for this fantastic tournament. All teams were overwhelmed by the warmth of the welcome we received by the people of Leicester when we played the first King Power Quad Nations in the city and we are hoping for even bigger crowds this time. We are also really appreciative of King Power who have come forward again to sponsor the event, so a big thank you to them. Spectators will see the game at the very highest level and it’s fantastic that World Champions, Japan, will be joining us.”
Susan Whelan, Senior Executive Vice President of King Power International and CEO of Leicester City added: “King Power is very proud of its associations to world class sport and to the city of Leicester, so we’re honoured to support the Wheelchair Rugby Quad Nations for a second year. The 2018 event drew thousands of people from all over the world to witness some outstanding matches and I’m sure 2019 will be even bigger and better.
“It takes a remarkable level of dedication and commitment to reach an elite standard in any sport, but there is something additional to be admired about athletes with the passion and determination to overcome disability and succeed on the international stage. The tournament will be a great spectacle for the city, which I’m sure will be extremely proud to play host to another world-class sporting event.”
The tournament will be sanctioned by the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF).
The Wheelchair Rugby Quad Nations tournament will take place 1st – 3rd March 2019 at the Morningside Arena with daytime and evening sessions over three days.
Family tickets and concessions for Schools and Students will also be available. Perfect for Christmas gifts, tickets are on sale via official website.
For more details visit www.wrquadnations.com
Keep up to date on social media @wrquadnations on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
About Wheelchair Rugby
Wheelchair Rugby was first recognised as a full medal sport at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia. It has since featured at the Paralympic Games in Athens in 2004, Beijing in 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016. Originating in Canada in the 1970s, wheelchair rugby developed from the ‘murderball’ game – created by a group of disabled sportsmen.
The Paralympic Games take place in Tokyo in 2020.
