) ▁particip ating ▁in ▁wheel ch air ▁basketball ▁throughout ▁the ▁world , ▁with ▁this ▁number ▁increasing ▁each ▁year . ▁It ▁is ▁estimated ▁that ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁play ▁wheel ch air ▁basketball ▁from ▁recre ation ▁to ▁club ▁play ▁and ▁as ▁el ite ▁national ▁team ▁members . ▁ ▁W heel ch air ▁basketball ▁is ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁Par al ym pic ▁Games . ▁The ▁W heel ch air ▁Basketball ▁World ▁Championship ▁is ▁played ▁two ▁years ▁after ▁every ▁Par al ym pic ▁Games . ▁Major ▁competition ▁in ▁wheel ch air ▁basketball ▁comes ▁from ▁Canada , ▁Australia , ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁Great ▁Britain , ▁the ▁Netherlands , ▁and ▁Japan . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Ludwig ▁G utt mann , ▁through ▁the ▁re h abil itation ▁program ▁at ▁the ▁Sto ke ▁Man dev ille ▁Hospital , ▁in ▁A yles bury , ▁Buck ingham shire , ▁England , ▁adapted ▁existing ▁sports ▁to ▁use ▁wheel ch airs . ▁It ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁wheel ch air ▁net ball . ▁ ▁At ▁around ▁the ▁same ▁times , ▁starting ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁wheel ch air ▁basketball ▁games ▁were ▁played ▁primarily ▁between ▁American ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁disabled ▁veter ans . ▁This ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Illinois . ▁Dr . ▁Tim othy ▁N ug ent ▁founded ▁the ▁National ▁W heel ch air ▁Basketball ▁Association ▁in ▁ 1 9