ning ▁body ▁for ▁all ▁wheel ch air ▁sports . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁IS M G F ▁accepted ▁for ▁its ▁former ▁wheel ch air ▁basketball ▁sub - section ▁to ▁be ▁named ▁International ▁W heel ch air ▁Basketball ▁Federation ▁( I W BF ). ▁ ▁Full ▁independence ▁came ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁with ▁the ▁I W BF ▁becoming ▁the ▁world ▁body ▁for ▁wheel ch air ▁basketball ▁with ▁full ▁responsibility ▁for ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁sport . ▁Over ▁the ▁following ▁years , ▁I W BF ▁membership ▁grew ▁in ▁size , ▁and ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁National ▁Organ izations ▁for ▁W heel ch air ▁Basketball ▁( NO W B s ) ▁with ▁active ▁programs , ▁the ▁international ▁feder ation ▁configured ▁itself ▁into ▁four ▁ge ographical ▁zones : ▁Africa , ▁Amer icas , ▁Asia / O ce ania ▁and ▁Europe . ▁ ▁W heel ch air ▁Basketball ▁World ▁Championship ▁ ▁World ▁champion ships ▁for ▁the ▁sport ▁have ▁been ▁held ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁with ▁Bru ges , ▁Belg ium ▁being ▁the ▁first ▁host ▁city . ▁The ▁first ▁world ▁championship ▁for ▁men ▁was ▁won ▁by ▁Great ▁Britain . ▁Of ▁the ▁first ▁ 1 1 ▁men ' s ▁world ▁champion ships , ▁six ▁were ▁won ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁( 1 9 7 9 , ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 2 ); ▁and ▁once ▁each ▁by ▁Great