Canadian Paralympic Committee and CBC Sports partner to broadcast GIO 2018 IWRF Wheelchair Rugby World Championships

- Tournament runs from August 5-10 in Sydney, Australia
­- All tournament games will be available live on cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app 
- Canada's games to also be livestreamed on CPC's Facebook page

OTTAWA, Aug. 1, 2018 /CNW/ - The Canadian Paralympic Committee and CBC Sports announced today the GIO 2018 IWRF Wheelchair Rugby World Championships will be streamed live across Canada next week. Taking place August 5-10 in Sydney, Australia, Canada will be among 12 nations competing for the world title.

Taking place August 5-10 in Sydney, Australia, Canada will be among 12 nations competing for the wheelchair rugby world title. (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships))

"We are thrilled to continue our work with CBC/Radio-Canada in showcasing Paralympic sport and the journeys of our Paralympic athletes in between Games," said Martin Richard, Executive Director, Communications and Brand, Canada Paralympic Committee.  "The world championships is a top-tier event and an important competition on the road to Tokyo 2020. This is an excellent chance for Canadians to watch, follow, and support our wheelchair rugby players."

Every game from the world championships will be livestreamed on cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices, as well as cbc.ca/watch and via the CBC TV App, with Canada's games also broadcast live from the CPC's Facebook page. The tournament features two pools of round-robin play with the top two teams of each pool moving into the semifinals. Canada is in Pool B alongside the USA, Great Britain, France, Colombia, and Poland.

"CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's Paralympic Network, and CBC Sports is dedicated to telling the stories of para athletes as they compete for the opportunity to represent Canada at Tokyo 2020," said Greg Stremlaw, Executive Director, CBC Sports, and General Manager, Olympics. "Wheelchair rugby is a fast-paced and physical game that will capture the attention of Canadians, and we're pleased to be able to offer them access to the entire World Championships tournament."

Canada is a two-time Paralympic silver medallist in wheelchair rugby, and finished fourth at Rio 2016. Co-captains Patrice Dagenais and Trevor Hirschfield will lead a Canadian team in Sydney including six Paralympic medallists and five newcomers. Host Australia is the reigning Paralympic champion from 2016, and also won the last world championships in 2014.

"We are delighted that CBC Sports will be broadcasting all of Team Canada's match-ups during the 2018 Wheelchair Rugby World Championships," said Cathy Cadieux, CEO, Wheelchair Rugby Canada. "This opportunity will not only increase awareness for the sport across Canada, it will also shine a spotlight on an incredible group of Canadian athletes who will be competing against the very best in the world."

Canada's Preliminary Round Schedule

Sunday August 5: Canada vs. France, 2:30 a.m. ET
Monday August 6: Canada vs. Poland, 2 a.m. ET
Monday August 6: Canada vs. Great Britain, 9 p.m. ET
Tuesday August 7: Canada vs. Colombia, 10:30 p.m. ET
Wednesday August 8: Canada vs. USA, 4:30 a.m. ET

Canada's games will be livestreamed at Facebook.com/CDNParalympics, cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app.

CBC Sports will also livestream all other tournament games. The complete broadcast schedule can be found here.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: Paralympic.ca

About CBC Sports
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's Olympic Network through 2024 and Canada's Paralympic Network through 2020. The national public broadcaster is committed to showcasing Canadian and international athletes and sports across all platforms under the CBC Sports and Hockey Night in Canada brands, including on television, online at cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices. CBC Sports prides itself on telling the story of the high-performance athlete's journey every step of the way, ensuring Canadians always know the people who represent them before they see them atop the podium.

SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships)

For further information: Nicole Watts, Manager, Public Relations, Canadian Paralympic Committee, [e-mail] or 613-569-4333 x262; Ben Parker-Jones, Communications and Marketing Coordinator, Wheelchair Rugby Canada, [e-mail] or 613-523-0004; Tanya Koivusalo, Publicist, CBC Sports, [e-mail] or 416-205-8638