British Wheelchair Basketball has won the bid to host the 2015 European Wheelchair Basketball Championships.
The event is part of UK Sport’s £27 million National Lottery funded Gold Event Series, an ambitious programme that aims to bring over 70 of the world’s most prestigious events to the UK.
Over 400 elite male and female athletes from across Europe will be based at the University of Worcester and will play at the recently opened University of Worcester Arena.
It comes after it was announced that the University had been selected as the Standard Life GB wheelchair basketball team training venue in the lead up to the 2016 Paralympic Games and preceding World and European Championships.
The successful bid for the Championships was announced by the International European Wheelchair Basketball Federation President, Jan Berteling, during this week’s Standard Life Continental Clash, taking place at the Arena.
British Wheelchair Basketball Chairman, Malcolm Tarkenter, said “We are delighted to have won the bid to host the European Championships. It reaffirms the UK as a leading nation of the sport in Europe. Our partnership with the University is going from strength to strength and we are looking forward to delivering a world class event with them, UK Sport and other partners we hope to attract from the local area.”
Professor David Green, University of Worcester Vice Chancellor, said: “It is a huge honour to have been selected as the venue for the 2015 European Championships and is testament, not only to the quality of the our new Arena, but also to the work of the University in supporting and leading the way in disability sport.”
The championships will take place in the summer of 2015.
Adrian Gregson, Leader of Worcester City Council, said: “The City is very proud that this prestigious international sporting event will be held in Worcester, and we look forward to welcoming over 400 athletes from throughout Europe to our beautiful city. This is a fantastic opportunity for basketball and for Worcester.”
Head of the University’s Institute of Sport and Exercise Science, Mick Donovan, added: “We have worked very closely with the British Wheelchair Basketball in securing the bid and it will be a fantastic opportunity for the City and the University to be an active part in making this one of the most remarkable championships ever. This success is testimony to the great work that has been taking place at the University in the development of disability sport.”
Simon Morton, Director of Major Events at UK Sport, said: “Along with our partners British Wheelchair Basketball and the University of Worcester, we are delighted to have won the bid to host the European Wheelchair Basketball Championships in 2015, a significant event in the build up to the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.
“UK Sport’s National Lottery backed Gold Event Series has the ambitious goal of securing 70 of the world’s top sporting events following London 2012, and this would be a great addition to our growing portfolio of Paralympic events.”
Professor Green and Mick Donovan will be travelling to Germany to accept the IWBF Europe Flag during the closing ceremony of this year’s Championships