Interview | David Pond, CEO of Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby.

This year Leicester will play host to a tournament like no other when it stages the Wheelchair Rugby Quad Nations. Taking place across 3 days, 9th-11th March 2018 at the Leicester Arena. The four teams; USA, Australia, Japan and our Great Britain team. These teams are four of the World's best 'murderball' teams who will compete in intense competition over 3 days. 

It's the first time that a competition like this has happened after London 2012, its pretty exciting stuff for both Leicester and the sport. The Quad Nations provides the ideal opportunity to capitalise on vocal support and develop the future of Wheelchair Rugby.

Speaking with the CEO of Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby David Pond he acknowledged how fantastic Leicester is for sport, "the city really supports different sports with great organisations such as Leicester Riders, Leicester Tigers, and Leicester City Football club so it couldn't be in a more ideal place for the first competition". 

Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby is a fantastic organisation. It now has around 22 clubs available across the UK. It has an effective talent programme that ensures people are "fed through to the highest level within the sport". The squad for the Quad Nations is formed of 12 players, all with a wide range of disabilities. "1/3 or more have disabilities as a result of spinal injuries". All of the players within the squad come with different stories but are joint together by an opportunity to participate in a fantastic sport and compete against some of the best teams in the World. 

Wheelchair Rugby, one of the only full-contact disability sports. Known as 'murderball' became a huge hit of the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. "It's not what you'll expect, the games are very fast paced and it's full of collisions. It's a real thrill to watch!" What's also great about this sport is that "the sport is open to both men and women. Wheelchair Rugby allows them to compete on the same team". This sport really allows integration to take place with no restriction on age or gender. The accessibility to this sport is next to none and is vital to its future.

Wheelchair Rugby is a "great opportunity for disabled people, in social, mental and physical ways. It takes people away from what is essentially isolating situations into something positive".

Not a lot of people know of the sport which is why heading to the Quad Nations is a great date to pop into your diary. "There's great ticket prices available for families and students who want to come along to the event".

I've left a short video below that gives you a flavour of what you can expect from the competition this weekend.

Ticket prices for the event are between £5-18. You can find out more about the event and the teams over on the WRQuadNations website.