December 15, 2005 – The Visa Paralympic World Cup Mens champions Great Britain will face Paralympic gold medalists Canada and silver medalists Australia when they attempt to defend their title in Manchester in May.

The Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Association and Wheelchair Sports Australia are expected to send full-strength squads to Manchester for the international event which will be staged between 1 – 4 May 2006.

Italy – the current European champions – has also been invited to compete.

In the Women’s competition, Great Britain will face Mexico and Spain – with one team still to confirm their participation.

Wheelchair Basketball is one of four sports being staged as part of the Visa Paralympic World Cup – Cycling (Track), Athletics and Swimming will complete the programme.

In an innovation to the inaugural programme in 2005, Wheelchair Basketball will now be staged at a specially adapted Manchester Velodrome following discussions with BBC Television and the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation.

Maureen Orchard, President of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation said:

“The calibre of competing teams will make the Visa Paralympic World Cup one of the highlights of the international Wheelchair Basketball calendar in 2006. To see all the Mens medal winners from Athens competing once again will make for a superb tournament. The change in venue from the Amaechi Centre will result in increased television coverage for our sport. It will also allow more spectators to watch these great competitors in action”.

The Visa Paralympic World Cup will enable many of the top nations to test themselves against other, ahead of the 2006 World Championships to be staged in Amsterdam, The Netherlands later in the year. Joseph Fletcher, Chairman of the Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association said:

“The Visa Paralympic World Cup is establishing itself as one of the leading events in the international calendar. To face the might of the Canadians and Australians in front of a British crowd will be a wonderful occasion for the GB players and supporters.”

The event, organised by Fast Track and the British Paralympic Association, is being supported by IPC, Visa, BBC, UK Sport, Manchester City Council and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).

In 2005, Great Britain won the inaugural Mens Wheelchair Basketball competition in the most dramatic circumstances – defeating Australia 58 points to 57 in overtime.

Trailing 53-50 with two seconds to go, Britain’s Terry Bywater landed an amazing three-pointer from the halfway line. With the scores tied 57-57 and no time left, Ade Adepitan landed a free throw to win the competition. In the Women’s final, France overcame Great Britain by 55 points to 34 with Valerie Monnier top scoring for the French team with 14 points.