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Duncan works on his trash-talking skills on members of BC's provincial B team. |
BCWSA congratulates
Duncan Campbell (Vancouver, BC), the co-creator of wheelchair rugby, on being awarded the most
prestigious prize in the Paralympic movement: the International Paralympic
Order. The honour, which is bestowed by the International Paralympic Committee,
is reserved for those who make an important, life-long contribution to the
Paralympic movement.
“It’s a huge honour,” said Campbell, “but the game has given
me more than I’ve ever given it.”
Campbell, who is nicknamed the “Quadfather,” invented
wheelchair rugby along with four friends in a gym in Winnipeg in 1976. They
called their new sport “murderball” because of its high-contact nature. Since
its humble Canadian beginnings, “murderball” has evolved into wheelchair rugby:
a popular Paralympic sport played in over 30 countries worldwide.
Campbell remains a driving force in promoting and
professionalizing the game and has been especially important to its development in BC. He is active in the International Wheelchair Rugby
Federation and is also the Director of Development for Wheelchair Rugby Canada,
where he spearheads new initiatives to recruit and retain athletes. He is also
the National Coordinator of the Bridging the Gap program: a first-contact
initiative that gets people with newly acquired disabilities active in
wheelchair sports.
“I can’t think of anyone who’s had a bigger impact on wheelchair
sports in Canada than Duncan Campbell,” said CWSA Executive Director Cathy
Cadieux. “He’s never content to rest on his laurels. He’s always looking for
new ways to grow wheelchair rugby, and new ways to get people with disabilities
involved in wheelchair sports.”
Campbell’s biggest impact, however, comes from his direct
impact on the lives of hundreds of people with disabilities, especially here in BC. He is a mentor to
many BC Paralympians, including wheelchair rugby national team stars
Garett Hickling, Ian Chan, and Trevor Hirschfield. The game he created has gone
on to improve the lives of thousands of people worldwide.
“It's so much more than a sport,” says Canadian wheelchair
rugby national team member Miranda Biletski.” Through this sport, Duncan has
helped so many people with new injuries gain independence and confidence in
their new lives.”
Campbell’s International Paralympic will be presented on
November 23 at the 2013 Paralympic Awards in Athens, Greece.
For more information, or to schedule an interview, please
contact:
Arley McNeney
Communications Manager
Wheelchair Rugby Canada
Cell: 778-788-9091
Email: arley@cwsa.ca