{"id":852412,"date":"2026-08-12T08:38:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T08:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/852412\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T08:38:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T08:38:11","slug":"wheelchair-basketball-square-unveiled-in-los-angeles-to-celebrate-two-years-to-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/852412\/","title":{"rendered":"Wheelchair Basketball Square unveiled in Los Angeles to celebrate two years to go"},"content":{"rendered":"

To celebrate two years to go until the LA28 Paralympic Games<\/a> and recognise the role Los Angeles played in the birth of wheelchair basketball<\/a>, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass unveiled \u201cWheelchair Basketball Square\u201d on Saturday (8 August).<\/p>\n

Located at the intersection of Victory Boulevard and Balboa Boulevard, Wheelchair Basketball Square highlights the site of the first ever wheelchair basketball game in the gymnasium at the former Birmingham General Veteran’s Administration Hospital in November 1946. This significant moment, in both Veterans and sports history, paved the way for wheelchair basketball, a sport that has been ever-present on the Paralympic sport programme since the first Games in Rome, Italy, in 1960. At the LA28 Paralympic Games, eight men\u2019s and eight women\u2019s teams will compete for gold in the sport at the DTLA Arena.<\/p>\n

During Saturday\u2019s event, in addition to revealing the new street sign for \u201cWheelchair Basketball Square\u201d, a plaque was unveiled in the historic gym that hosted the first match, and an exhibition game of wheelchair basketball took place. Mayor Bass also announced she is working with the National Wheelchair Basketball Association, the Paralysed Veterans of America, and local disability-focused nonprofit Muralism to install a mural in honour of the incredible legacy of the veterans and athletes before us, and the impact they will continue to make in our future.<\/p>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

Paris 2024 champions Steve Serio (left) and Jorge Salazar (right) were among the Paralympians who attended the event. @City of Los Angeles<\/p>\n

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Speaking at the unveiling, Los Angeles Mayor Bass said: \u201cA key component of my \u2018Games for All\u2019 vision is about ensuring that the Games are accessible and inclusive for all Angelenos. I\u2019m proud that we are already delivering that \u2013 through art, through our infrastructure, and through sport. This building is a key example of honouring and uplifting the legacy of the incredible athletes before us to inspire and support the next generation of Paralympians.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also in attendance at Saturday\u2019s event was Colleen Wrenn, the IPC\u2019s Executive Director Paralympic Games. She said: \u201cWhile we reflect on how this Los Angeles basketball court changed the world 80 years ago, let\u2019s also imagine how Los Angeles can change the world again in 2028. And I challenge each of you to think about how you can contribute to that change \u2013 volunteer! Buy a ticket! Find your new favourite Para athlete to follow! And most importantly spread the word about the LA28 Paralympic Games and why they matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ulf Mehrens, IWBF, President said: \u201cLos Angeles holds a unique place in the history of wheelchair basketball, with the sport\u2019s origins tracing back to injured veterans who played at the former Birmingham General Veterans Administration Hospital, where Wheelchair Basketball Square will now stand.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis recognition honours the pioneers who helped create the sport and the generations of players who have carried their legacy forward. As we mark two years to the LA28 Paralympic Games, the naming of Wheelchair Basketball Square is a fitting tribute to the sport\u2019s roots in Los Angeles and a wonderful celebration of its enduring place in the city\u2019s sporting heritage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

An exhibition game took place to celebrate two yeasr to go until LA28 and recognise the role Los Angeles played in the birth of the sport. @LA28<\/p>\n

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On November 25, 1946, the site of Wheelchair Basketball Square \u2013 then the Birmingham Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital \u2013 hosted the first official wheelchair basketball game. The inaugural match featured the “Birmingham Charioteers\u201d \u2013 one of the earliest organised wheelchair basketball teams composed of World War II veterans and VA patients with various degrees of paralysis. The veterans competed against the hospital’s medical staff and won the game 16-6. Since then, the sport of wheelchair basketball has evolved into a global phenomenon. By the late 1940s, organised leagues had formed, and in 1960, wheelchair basketball was featured in the inaugural Paralympic Games in Rome. Today, it is played in nearly 100 countries and remains one of the most highly anticipated and competitive events in the Paralympic Games, continually showcasing the speed, strategy, and elite athletic talent of athletes worldwide.<\/p>\n

At the Paralympic Games, USA\u2019s men\u2019s team is the most successful team in history having won 10 gold medals. At Paris 2024, the side made history becoming the first to win gold at three successive Paralympic Games from Rio 2016 onwards. Women\u2019s wheelchair basketball first featured at the Paralympic Games in 1968 and with four gold medals, the USA has proven to be the most successful nation. USA\u2019s women last won gold at Rio 2016 and finished with silver at Paris 2024.<\/p>\n

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Discover more about the LA28 Paralympic Games<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"To celebrate two years to go until the LA28 Paralympic Games and recognise the role Los Angeles played…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":852413,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":["post-852412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/852412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=852412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/852412\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/852413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=852412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=852412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=852412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}