The official draw for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Wheelchair Basketball Competition was held today in Beijing, China, on the occasion of the Good Luck Wheelchair Basketball Invitational Tournament.

Maureen Orchard, President of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) oversaw the draw assisted by members of the Wheelchair Basketball Competition Management team and players from the Chinese men’s and women’s teams. She was also assisted by IWBF Executive Council members Ron Coppenrath and Jan Berteling.

Among those in attendance of the official draw ceremony at the Paralympic Family Hotel were International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Sir Philip Craven as well as high-ranking representatives of the Beijing 2008 Organizing Committee (BOCOG) and the Chinese Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF).

The Paralympic Games in September will feature the world’s ten best women’s teams and the 12 best men’s teams.

Women:

Pool A: Great Britain, USA, Australia, Brazil and Germany
Pool B: China, Canada, Japan, Mexico and the Netherlands

Men:

Pool A: Germany, South Africa, Japan, Canada, Sweden and Iran
Pool B: Israel, Brazil, China, USA, Great Britain and Australia

For more information, please visit the official website of IWBF at www.iwbf.org.