GB Wheelchair Rugby signs three year partnership with BT
GB Wheelchair Rugby has signed a three year partnership with BT. Under the agreement BT will become the Official Principal Partner of GB Wheelchair Rugby, as well as the Official Communications Partner.
The formal announcement of the partnership took place at Twickenham with Suzi Williams, BT's Global Brand and Marketing Director, GB Wheelchair Rugby Chief Executive David Pond among those in attendance.
Also present was GB Wheelchair Rugby Ambassador and England rugby union star Mike Brown, GB Wheelchair Rugby captain Mike Kerr and British athletes Coral Batey and Chris Ryan.
Wheelchair Rugby Chief Executive, David Pond said:
"It's fantastic to have BT behind us as we continue to grow wheelchair rugby over the next three years."
He added:
"Not only will the team benefit from the partnership as they prepare for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, but thanks to BT we'll be able to build our Club National Championships into a high quality event and get more people than ever playing the game in their local communities all over the country."
The deal will also see BT become the title sponsor of the inaugural World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge, due to take place from 12-16 October at the Copper Box Arena in London.
During the competition the GB team, currently ranked number one in Europe and fifth in the world, will compete against London 2012 Paralympic medallists United States and Canada, plus Japan, South Africa, France, New Zealand and current world and Paralympic champions Australia.
Mike Brown, GB Wheelchair Rugby Ambassador said:
"Wheelchair Rugby is fast and thrilling, with huge potential to grow. It's fantastic to see the plans that BT and GB Wheelchair Rugby are putting in place to drive the sport forwards, enabling many more people to get involved."
Brown continued:
"The BT World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge is a brilliant idea. It's being staged right in the middle of the Rugby World Cup and will generate plenty of interest in wheelchair rugby at a vital time for the sport."
BT is also supporting several GB Wheelchair Rugby community programmes to increase participation in the sport.
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This year GB Wheelchair Rugby aims to create three new clubs around Britain and will develop six youth teams. While by 2018, the body aims to have enabled 400 young people between the ages of eight and 18 to take part in a six-week introduction to the sport.
Pond said:
"The BT Wheelchair Rugby community activity will allow us to begin developing the first ever wheelchair rugby national youth programme. It will also help us expand our current Sport England funded programmes to grow the sport."
Britain's wheelchair rugby team is among the most successful in the world.
The team has won four European Championship titles, as well as three silvers and two bronze, and competed in every Paralympic Games, finishing fourth on three occasions.
