3x3 basketball has become increasingly popular in recent years. In contrast to traditional basketball, this fast-paced version of both 3x3 basketball and 3x3 wheelchair basketball, sees three athletes per team play on court at the same time. In the 3x3 version, the three-point line serves as a two-point line and a team has a maximum of twelve seconds to try to score a basket (point). The winner of the match is the team that has scored at least 21 points - or the one which is leading at the end of the maximum playing time of ten minutes. The 3x3 wheelchair basketball is considered to be action-packed and is often compared to bumper cars due to the frequent collisions between wheelchairs.
The inclusion of 3x3 wheelchair basketball in the programme of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games has also been well received by athletes. "It's great that wheelchair basketball will have a whole new stage at the FISU World University Games Summer and will certainly attract many more spectators. This spectacular sport is sure to quickly win them over. At the same time, it will certainly be good for our sport that young talents can prove themselves here once again and gain important experience in international competition," says Mareike Miller, national wheelchair basketball player.
©Danny-Ralph Cäsar
FISU looks forward to the premiere of Para Sport
FISU (International University Sports Federation) is also looking forward to having Para Sport in its programme in the future: “Including 3x3 wheelchair basketball in the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games sport programme is a positive step toward promoting inclusivity and diversity in international university sports. This will be the first time to have Para Sport in the FISU Games Summer programme, and we believe it will bring positive impact in public relations and event culture, showcasing a commitment to social responsibility and community engagement. In Rhine-Ruhr, we will be integrating 3x3 wheelchair basketball into existing basketball programme, which allows for shared resources, facilities, and expertise, promoting a seamless collaboration,” – says Jing Zhao, Director of the FISU Summer Games.
©FISU
3x3 basketball has been an Olympic sport since the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, but 3x3 wheelchair basketball is currently not played at the Paralympic Games. The first time 3x3 wheelchair basketball was held at an international multisport event was at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham UK. The organising committee of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games will now also offer the spectacular sport a stage in 2025. Two groups of four teams will play three group matches per team, with the group winners going straight through to the semi-finals and the second and third-placed teams probably playing an intermediate round. Both the able body 3x3 basketball competition and the 3x3 wheelchair basketball competition will take place at the same venue in Düsseldorf's Arena-Sportpark.
"I very much welcome the fact that we have a Para Sport in the programme at the FISU World University Games Summer for the first time," says Thorsten Hütsch, Sports Director at the German University Sports Federation (adh), which is organising the multi-sport event in 2025. "This is a very important signal for university sport - also for us as a national university sports federation, which aims to create inclusive programme within the university championships in the future."