The Redwheels, Belgium's national powerchair football team, beat Scotland in the final to win the European championship.
The sport is open to anyone who uses an electric wheelchair on a daily basis and who has a disability that prevents them from practising another team sport, which therefore makes it the only sport in which people suffering from serious physical disabilities can actively play as a team.
Invented in the 1980s, it has gained a following worldwide, and more particularly in Europe, thanks to UEFA's logistic and financial support to assist the European Powerchair Football Association (EPFA) in organising the European Powerchair Football Cup.
The rules are quite simple! During two 20-minute periods in a space the size of a basketball court, two teams of four players, including one goalkeeper, attempt to score as many goals as possible between two posts placed six metres apart. Limited to a speed of 10 km/h, the players move around in electric wheelchairs equipped with bumpers, which are used to strike and direct the ball as well as protect the players.
For the final phase of the European championship held in Geneva, the Redwheels faced off against six other nations: Austria, Germany, Italy, Scotland, Spain and Switzerland. With only one tie game and five victories under their belt, the Belgian team went on to beat Scotland by two goals in the final match.
Congratulations to our athletes!