UPDATE: All the wheelchair basketball athletes arrived without issue as of Friday morning.
RICHMOND, Va. — The National Wheelchair Basketball Championships are back in Richmond welcoming thousands of athletes to the largest adapted sporting event in the country.
Excitement among players is mixed with anxiety, following claims that several athletes' wheelchairs were damaged during travel to last year's tournament.
"Hopefully they get it right,” said Myranda Shields, an athlete with Ability 360.
Many competitors are hoping for a smoother experience at this year’s championship, held at the Henrico Sports and Events Center.
“It was difficult because they took the wheels off our chairs, and we ended up stranded,” Shields added.
Last year, athletes claimed their wheelchairs arrived damaged or disassembled after multiple connecting flights to Richmond International Airport. Despite the airport's assertions that they coordinated with airlines and tournament organizers ahead of time, athletes reported issues with their custom sports chairs.
“We’re just stuck there, and it’s embarrassing. You’re looking around like, ‘Hey, anybody seen my wheelchair?’” Shields said.
“It’s like you got onto an airplane, they took your legs away, and you were hoping and praying that you got them back so you could get on with your day. That’s how we feel,” expressed Amy Van Dyken, an Olympic gold medalist and disability advocate.
In response to last year's challenges, athletes filed complaints with the Department of Transportation, contacted disability rights organizations, and even gained support from an Arizona congressman. They remain hopeful that their experience will be different this year.
“Chairs are custom-made to our bodies. They are our everyday chairs. So when we get off an airplane and wheelchairs are crushed, or wheelchairs are not there, or something is wrong with them, people say, ‘Well, get in one of the wheelchairs that’s at the airport.’ That’s not the same; that’s going to cause a lot of pressure sores, shoulder problems, elbow problems, wrist problems,” Van Dyken said.
Southwest Airlines, which transported athletes last year, stated they have not received any reports of issues so far this year and have coordinated with all airports along the athletes’ routes.
Richmond International Airport officials have been preparing for the event for months, working with airlines, ground crews, Sportable, and tourism officials to ensure smooth arrivals and departures.
“We’re nervous, but we made it through last time,” Shields noted.
Athletes remain hopeful that their journeys will go more smoothly this year, allowing them to focus on winning.
“We understand that it takes longer for a person in a wheelchair to get on and off an airplane, but we just need to be communicated with so that everybody can be taken care of,” Shields said.
“We don't want anything special. We just want to feel like normal human beings and to feel like a basketball team can get off an airplane in a reasonable amount of time,” added Van Dyken.
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