Wheelchair Basketball | Milaap
Wheelchair Basketball
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    Created by

    Milaap
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    This fundraiser will benefit

    Oliver Dsouza

    from Mumbai, Maharashtra

HELP US RAISE FUNDS TO PROMOTE Wheelchair Basketball 

While Wheelchair basketball is similar to the Basketball that Michael Jordan played, it is the differences that intrigued me. Here the players off the ball are more if not as important as the player with the ball.

The team consists of five players; however, there is a caveat. Each player is assigned a point based on the severity of their disability ranging from 1 to 4.5; 1 being the most sever disability (like a high spinal cord injury) and 4.5 a relatively less severe disability (like a low level amputee). Players with 1 points usually have limited upper body balance and range of movements in comparison to a 4.5 point player.

In most of the other para sports I know of, players are classified based on their disability/ability and compete within that classification. Wheelchair basketball gives players with a wide range of abilities/disabilities a chance to lock horns, compete and collaborate with each other. This is the most unique aspect of the sport; it creates a common platform for people with different orthopedic disabilities. If harnessed to its maximum it can unite the otherwise fractured disability community; this may inadvertently open the doors to greater battles which need to be fought in our society.

If the disability community can lobby together we can hasten the change that we hope to see. Physical, social and economic barriers at the end of the day can be more easily torn down when a group of highly motivated, talented, hard working, intelligent and determined people come together.

Currently wheelchair users are stigmatized due to the negative perception of wheelchairs in the society. People see a wheelchair immediately feel sympathy. Wheelchair basketball is played on Sports Wheelchairs; these require a high level of engineering expertise to manufacture and the starting cost is Rs. 33,000/- per chair. These chairs are light, fast and sexy. Playing wheelchair basketball on these chairs are not only essential to the sport at a competition level but will also help change the perception of society when they see wheelchair user as illustrated in the YouTube video accompanying this campaign.

We want to buy more sports wheelchairs which cost Rs 33,000/ each.


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