Photo Credits: FFH (Didier Echelard, Florent Pervillé, Grégory Picout)

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The Federation Francaise Handisport hosted the second FIPFA World Cup in Paris, France. From all over the world, ten delegations traveled to the capital of France and took part to this amazing tournament. This first week of November 2011 demonstrated the real potential of the sport of Powerchair Football and brought to the light various achievement of FIPFA during this past four years.

On November 2^nd, ten teams paraded at the opening ceremony organized by the host. It’s 4 more countries than the 2007 edition. Australia, Ireland and Switzerland were brand new member of FIPFA. Canada competed for the first time in the World Cup. The development of FIPFA is ongoing and a conference for the potential country or new country was organized in parallel of the World Cup. Ten nations out of fifteen were represented at the World and many more are waiting for to embrace the movement.

The organization put in place by the French was very efficient and really promote the value sharing by FIPFA. The gymnasium of Halle Carpentier was fully arranged for a such event with two Powerchair Football court in the center. A huge screen was installed to broadcast inside the game on the main court. Decoration and advertisement display were effectively placed to create this tremendous atmosphere of a sport arena.

However, before the player could express their talents in this magnificent playground, they had to complete the FIPFA Classification procedure in order to play. The FIPFA Classification consists in eligibility criteria and two classes (PF1 and PF2). During the FIPFA World Cup matches, maximum two PF2 athletes per team could be on the field in same time. Therefore, this new rule required to assess all athletes prior to the competition in order to determine their eligibility to participate and, if that was the case, their class. For two days, several panels of classifiers did an amazing job to view around 75 athletes in such a short amount of time.

The opening ceremony started inside an over packed Halle Carpentier. From everywhere on the planet, people traveled to Paris to cheer for their team. In majority French of course, about 2,000 person were here. This was a fantastic show where cheerleaders, acrobats and other artists performed as officials delivered their message of encouragement, motivation and interest to the delegation. Sir Philip Craven, who is the President of International Paralympic Committee, expressed his interest on the sport of Powerchair Football and congratulated in advance the French Handisport Federation for its commitment to the host international competition.

With this new classification system, FIPFA put also in place an improved version of the speed test. After a first try during the Power Champions League, a system with 2 independent rolls developed in England was certified and approved by FIPFA to be the official. Prior each game, the referees were controlling the forward and backward speed of the players.On the top of that, FIPFA reviewed the Laws of the Game and the referee was in charge to enforce the updated law. As examples, the “2 on 1″, “3-in-the-box” and “ball in the air” laws were strictly enforced during the competition,

All chairs checked and tuned, the team lined up for the national anthems and then, Doug Wolf blew his whistle to kick off the inaugural match. . At home, the blues of France scored twice against the red of Belgium and won 2-0 this first game.

The first day was over and everyone drove back to the unique place accommodating the different teams. The Residence Internationale de Paris was welcomed the nine foreign team in one building. In the different space provided by the organization, players and attendants from different country were gathering and sharing unique moment.

The next day, the defending World Champion defeated Japan on a 2-0 mark and Portugal 13-0. Japan couldn’t beat England (1-1) and the Asian team was almost out at the end of the second day. For the English, a previous16-0 win against Switzerland put them in orbit to take the second spot qualifying for the semi.

Pool B, the French keep winning their games (7-0 vs Australia and 12-0 vs Ireland) and qualified on Thursday night to the semi-final. Belgium defeated Ireland and Australia as well but Canada was also in good position.

On Friday, Belgium clinched his spot to the semi-final by defeating Canada 3-0 because the French did the same and scored three times against the North American. The Canadian took the third place after a very complicated victory against Australia (1-0). However, the first surprise came from Pool A where Team USA lost 1-0 against England. The English squad became the first team to ever defeated Team USA in FIPFA history. With this upsetting win, they took the lead and might have avoided a difficult semi-final against the French. For Team USA, the 21-0 victory against Switzerland didn’t change anything, they were second and had to face France in the semi-final. The Japanese scored a lot of goals (14-1 vs Portugal and 15-0 vs Switzerland) but it was useless and they couldn’t do better than third position.

In front of 3,000 spectators, the top four nations of Powerchair Football were ready to win or go home. In the first match, the English had to battle until the second overtime before they finally found an opportunity to break the incredible Belgium team which had fought with courage and determination. This tiny goal was enough to satisfy an amazing English Team which moved up to the Final.

The atmosphere became electric when the French kicked off the second semi-final. The fans were screaming and cheering for their precious team France to defeat Team USA and took a revenge from Tokyo (USA beat France after the shootout at 2007 World Cup Final). If the French got the first opportunity, Team USA had learned from his previous defeat against England and they didn’t really let many chances to the home team. A penalty kick in the first half and goal at the end of the second half were more than necessary for Team USA to move to the final and knocking out the entire gymnasium. The French were kick out of their World Cup. After three intensive days, a day off gave an opportunity to everyone to rest and enjoy the beauty of Paris.

On Sunday, November 6^th, the tournament was ending with the Championship and all ranking finals. At 15.00 Paris Time, the brand new Trophy made by a Californian artist and symbolizing the Powerchair Football was place on the side of the main court. On each side, England and USA waited for their ultimate game to bring the World Cup Trophy home. Even if the French wasn’t playing this championship, the gymnasium was packed with spectator. During the entire competition, more than 8,000 people came to watch the World Cup. Unfortunately for the audience, the English couldn’t redo their performance and the Final game was a slow and uncontestable triumph of Team USA represented by his talented captain Mikael Archer, MVP of the World, who scored two of the three goals scored by Team USA which defeated England 3-0. As Chris Finn said, it was an exceptional performance because few teams in World from any sport can win back to back World Cup and it’s even more difficult when you have a 4 years period between each.

Congratulations to Team USA and to the French Handisport Federation for this amazing journey. In Paris, the Powerchair Football community has shown to the World his unity and solidarity around the value of the sport promoting by FIPFA. Rendez vous in four years for the third FIPFA World Cup

In the evening, the conference continued with the opening ceremony of the World Cup and the opening match between France and Belgium.  The conference attendees were well entertained!

The next day, all participants were welcome to watch more matches and had the opportunity to ask questions of all players, coaches, organizers, and parents.  Many questions were asked and much good information was received.  The conference participants sought information about the game, the guards, the strategies needed to win matches, and many other specifics that they will need as they start the sport in their countries.  The day was capped off by a dinner cruise on the Seine.  Many lively discussions were heard, all about the great sport of powerchair football. 

Our guests felt that this was a very productive conference.  They all left with a better understanding of powerchair football and are eager to get it up and running in their countries.

ANTIDOPING

FIPFA Antidoping Policy

TUE application form

CLASSIFICATION

FIPFA Classification protest

FIPFA Protest procedures during compétitions

FIPFA Sport Départment has published the official World Cup competition schedule following the draw last Thursday. Fans should be excited by the two first games which will see the four best countries in 2007 facing each other.

Following the opening ceremony, scheduled on November 2 at 6.30 pm, France will open the competition playing Belgium, as the first game on Pool B while USA and Japan will offer the first big crunch on Thurday morning at 10 am on at the Halle Carpentier.

Semi-Fials are scheduled on Friday night, kick off of the first one at 6.30pm. Check out the complete competition schedule below:

The World Cup 2011 Official Competition Schedule

Sometimes it happens that the Post makes people happy … The dream of the World Cup has finally taken shape for eight players and has been lost for others. Bernard Berthouloux did not wait for the deadline of September 15 to reveal his group, he renewed his faith in the same group, but still leaves some doubt as to the goalkeeper. His official list for the World Cup is not surprising as it may seem, even if the coach admitted to having been tempted by last-minute surprises …

So a team which is more than half compared to Tokyo four years ago. The men of experience in this kind of environment will no doubt play a particular role (Jerome Durand, Sylvain Malard, Brahim Sébiane) to guide, reassure and relieve their five freshmen (Greg Nero, Anthony Bastien, Youcef Ayad Zeddam, Ludovic Paulot, Vincent Quellenec) their hearts are now racing. The opportunity to play a World Cup, in France, in front of family and friends, does not happen every morning! Their task will be difficult, but they are ready to meet the challenge. American competitors, Japanese, Belgian and English seems sharp, although still stronger than in Tokyo. No doubt the draw, to be held this Thursday evening, and classification could undermine all the French tactical plans.

A final training camp is scheduled from October 23 to 30 in Bourges. By then, the popularity of the World Cup, which is growing day by day around the Equipe de France, will probably reached its zenith. The players, themselves, hope to reach their goal on November 6, around 17:00, at Halle Carpentier.

What an exciting perspective with this draw result which should give some big matchups from the beginning to the end. USA, current world champion, will face Japan, England, Switzerland and Portugal in Pool A while France will play against Belgium, Ireland, Canada and Australia.

More information, videos and reactions after the draw available soon on this website!

EXCLUSIVE PICTURES OF THE WORLD CUP DRAW

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EXCLUSIVE VIDEO OF THE WORLD CUP DRAW

This level of sports media exposure was a promise made in the French Handisport Federation bid to host the world’s top ten Powerchair national teams. Beyond the symbolism, the presence of the former ’80s French Blues player, who now heads up European football, shows off the rise of Powerchair Football in the great international football family. 8 September 2011 will mark an important date in the early history of the FIPFA World Cup, as from that date, the 2011 FIPFA World Cup competing nations will know their first opponents in the initial phase of the competition.

The Federation Internationale de Powerchair Football Association has also announced there are a few new conditions for organization of the draw, which will result then the entire sports program of the World Cup. For the first draw in the history of the FIPFA World Cup, in Japan in 2007, all the teams competed in the first round in a single pool. That will change in Paris.  FIPFA Head of Sport Adam Parry has to compose two pools of five teams. The top two teams advance to the semi-finals, scheduled for 4 November 2011, in the evening.

Also announced now are the names of the four countries seeded in the draw, selected based on their results at the World Cup in Japan in 2007. Thus, the United States, World Champions seeded 1, will face Japan, seeded four, in their pool. France, finalists in 2007, will face Belgium, bronze medal in Tokyo, in their pool. The other six countries (Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Portugal and Switzerland) will therefore be drawn to know the full composition of the pools.

The pure hands of Michel Platini and Emmanuel Petit will be the subject of much attention on September 8 at about 19:30, the hearts of players and fans of Powerchair Football will be beating intensely!

No less than 30 players, beginners or experts, and five potential referees participated in the three days of practice, including workshops around the basic exercises (control of the chair and the ball, rotating, basic tactics, understanding the Regulations). Demonstration matches between FIPFA Barbarians and Australian selections took place.

The Australians, already technically efficient despite their being new to Powerchair Football, were able to benefit from the expertise of FIPFA instructors to perfect their game, just days before the first national championship.

They are focusing exclusively on the next World Cup in Paris (2 to 6 November 2011) where the Australians will make their first appearance on the international scene. And they may well surprise many opponents, given that the Wallabies won over the hearts of their trainers when playing in Sydney during this training week.

The APFA and its charismatic President Matthew Cross – who is no stranger to the runaway success of Powerchair Football in Australia - can be proud of having won their bet through this training event: to attract so many players and attract so many political personalities to stand behind their sports team. The Honourable Graham ANNESLY, Member of Parliament of New South Wales and Minister for Sport and Recreation was present at the opening ceremony of the national tournament, and the Honourable Natasha MCLAREN-JONES, Member of the Government New South Wales, watch the inaugural demonstration game. These high-profile supporters witness to the rising value of our sport in Australia. Also present throughout the week constantly alongside the players was the indefatigable Rale Rasic, former coach of the Australian men’s football national squand and now the Patron of this outstanding national team Powerchair Football. He is already proving to be a passionate ambassador. With it, Australia aims to move mountains.

As a follow up of this first contact, FIPFA and his partner the Fernando Foundation sent some sample of equipment and the starter kit to Brazil. Then, the Fernando Foundation invited and supported a delegation from Brazil to attend the USPSA Premier Conference Cup in Atlanta, GA USA. With this support and their own ressources, “Associação Brasileira de Futebol em Cadeira de Rodas” was able to send 7 delegates to the United States.

Without a doubt, the experience of attending a high level competition was a great opportunity for the Brazilian delegation to talk with athletes, coaches, referees, team managers and National Leaders from the US organisation.

In addition, Herve Delattre, the President of FIPFA, traveled to the Atlanta with Nicolas Dubes, Director of Communication, to meet the Brazilians and establish with them the base of a development plan. During the numerous informal meetings, the next World Cup and the Congress were two important events that were presented to Brazil. For the long term, FIPFA mentioned the possibility to hold an international workshop in Brazil by 2012.

Regarding the excitement and the enthusiasm of the delegation, this trip to the United States might be a boost for the development in Brazil. For FIPFA, it is also the first serious country from South America which is willing and capable to launch Powerchair Football.

Although this first step is not achievement, it gave everyone a lot of hope and expectation for the future of the sport in country of Pele and Ronaldo.