JOHANNESBURG – The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) named its inaugural player commission on Wednesday.
The commission is made up of eight players from around the world and South Africa’s Michelle Moganedi is one of the selected players.
The IWBF commission was established to give international wheelchair basketball players a platform and a common voice in the governance of global wheelchair basketball.
The inaugural IWBF Players Commission has been named.
Annegrit Briemann
Hiroaki Kozai
John Boie
Michelle Moganedi
Ella Sabljak
Terry Bywater
Alhassan Sedky
Erica Gavelhttps://t.co/j1Uun3IKym#wheelchairbasketball #AthleteVoice pic.twitter.com/8EZQqHl4ng
IWBF #WheelchairBasketball (@_IWBF) March 2, 2022
The Amawheelagirls player will be representing South Africa at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The 20-year-old University of Johannesburg student-athlete will lead the team in the women’s 3×3 team international event in Birmingham.
Not only is Moganedi a wheelchair basketball player, she also takes part in other sporting codes such as javelin, shot put and discus.
Paralympians Annegrit Brießmann (Germany), Hiroaki Kozai (Japan), and John Boie (USA), and 3X3 International Moganedi (South Africa) will join the original four players who were part of the IWBF Athlete Steering Committee – Ella Sabljak (Australia), Terry Bywater (Great Britain), Alhassan Sedky (Egypt) and Erica Gavel (Canada).
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all eight players who have been appointed to the IWBF Players’ Commission. They have put themselves forward to be part of this very important step in the history of IWBF. We are extremely pleased to have equal representation giving us different insights and perspectives of the global landscape, as we try to create continuous and meaningful engagement with the players in the IWBF structures and governance.
“We would also like to reiterate our thanks to those who registered to vote and for their interest in the IWBF Players’ Commission,” said IWBF president Ulf Mehrens.
Welcome to 2022 and what a line-up of international wheelchair basketball is in store for you!! #wheelchairbasketball #WeAreWheelchairBasketball #IWBF pic.twitter.com/w1ILnbPvHT
IWBF #WheelchairBasketball (@_IWBF) January 6, 2022
IWBF CONDEMNS RUSSIA’S MILITARY INVASION OF UKRAINE
Meanwhile, the IWBF has released a statement condemning the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and banned Russian teams from participating in IWBF competition.
“The IWBF executive council has today decided all Russian teams and officials will not be allowed to participate in any IWBF competitions (including IWBF Europe’s club competition Euro League) until further notice. The decision underlines core values within wheelchair basketball – integrity, respect, and friendship,” read the statement.
IWBF council said it would discuss further action in their next meeting on 9 April.
“IWBF and the wheelchair basketball family stand united in solidarity with everyone affected by what is happening in Ukraine and join the global sporting community in calling for the restoration of peace.”
Artmotion S.Africa
