The classification system, which previously had focussed largely on tetraplegics, has also been expanded to encourage other disability groups to take part. It will come into operation at the annual Toronto tournament next month to which Britain, who finished fifth last year, are again sending a nine-strong squad.

What happened next?

Two years later and with 15 countries competing in wheelchair rugby, the sport was added to the ISMWSF's list of official sports before, in 1994, it was recognised by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) as a Paralympic sport.

In 1995 the small town of Nottwil in Switzerland hosted the first edition of the World Wheelchair Rugby Championships which were won by USA.

Almost 20 years after the sport was first played by a group of quadriplegic athletes in Winnipeg, Canada, wheelchair rugby made its debut at the Atlanta Paralympic Games as a demonstration sport. Four years later it was included as a full medal sport at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Where is the sport now?

The sport has gone from strength-to-strength and has appeared at each of the subsequent Paralympic Games with the sport being played now in more than 40 countries.

However, recent funding cuts has seen UK Athletics slash Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby's budget from £3.04 million to nil, zero, nowt, zilch. Not a penny; a decision described as 'perverse' by UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner.