World Championship

After the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, there was interest in the Netherlands in hosting the World Wheelchair Basketball World Cup. The 2002 edition is in Japan and therefore Europe has a great opportunity. It turned out to be the right thought.

Frank Earl became the tournament director. “From the start, the idea was to nominate Amsterdam. The city has a very long association with the association and Sporthallen Zuid is also unique as a location with two halls and good logistics.” Apollohal was designated as the training location.

The 2006 event was also meant to mark a farewell to a generation of top wheelchair basketball players at the end of their careers. Another great tournament for the home crowd, packed with thousands – apart from the competition from the World Cup and the Tour de France. Even Mayor Cohen came a few times.

The semifinals of the Dutch men’s team against the United States took place in a crowded hall. It Orange Lion
lost, but the atmosphere was very memorable for Americans, who weren’t used to such crowds. “Years later, the participants are still talking about it,” Berteling said. The United States, in turn, will lose in the final against Canada.

During the event, there was another campaign in schools. Earl: “At first the students didn’t want to use a wheelchair. Then they didn’t want to go out. It was very special for the young people to know that it was a very cool sport, fierce and physical.”