Government of Canada Supports First Ever Wheelchair Basketball Academy

TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport), today announced funding for Wheelchair Basketball Canada at the launch of its new Wheelchair Basketball Canada Academy at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus.

"Canada is recognized as a leader in wheelchair basketball, and our Government is proud to support Wheelchair Basketball Canada so that our men can defend the gold medal they won in London and we can get our women back on the podium," said Minister of State Gosal. "The new Wheelchair Basketball Canada Academy will help the next generation of Canadian wheelchair basketball athletes achieve world-class results."

"Canada's senior national teams have captured a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last six Paralympic Games," said Wendy Gittens, Executive Director of Wheelchair Basketball Canada. "Now, thanks to the ongoing support of the Government of Canada and all our partners, we are entering into a new era in wheelchair basketball, in which our elite athletes will be better poised than ever to continue propelling Canada to the top of the podium."

The Wheelchair Basketball Canada Academy, the first of its kind in Canadian Paralympic sport, was developed in partnership with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, the University of Toronto, the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, and Wheelchair Basketball Canada.

The Government of Canada committed $1.9 million in 2013-14 to Wheelchair Basketball Canada through the Sport Support Program, including $210,000 for the Academy. Sport Canada's Athlete Assistance Program also provided approximately $543,000 to support 44 Canadian field wheelchair basketball athletes with living and training expenses in 2012-13.

SOURCE: Canadian Heritage

For further information:

(media only), please contact:

Robert Lynch
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Bal Gosal, P.C., M.P.
Minister of State (Sport)
819-934-1122
[e-mail]

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
[e-mail]

(This news release is available on the Internet at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca under Newsroom.)