SUGGESTED USA PICKLEBALL RULE CHANGES FOR 2024
| Rule Submission Title | Wheelchair Player |
|---|---|
| USAP Board Vote | Failure Confirmed |
| USAP Rules Committee Vote | Failed |
| USAP Rules Committee Vote Reason | As submitted, this would invalidate types of wheelchairs that have no front wheels where the player uses their foot to manuever. The committee suggests that a group of wheelchair review all the rules to consider modifications during the next cycle |
| Existing Rule # | 3.A.45, 7.O (new) |
| Proposed Rule Change | 3.A.45. Wheelchair Player - Any person, with or without a disability, who plays the game in a wheelchair. The wheelchair is considered par of the player's body. This can be a player with a disability or anyone that wants to play in a wheelchair. The player must remain firmly seated in his/her chair and must not use his/her lower limbs to steer the chair or gain an unfair advantage. 7.O In wheelchair pickleball, a player using any part of his/her feet or lower extremities against the ground while delivering service, striking a ball, turning or stopping while the ball is in play, or a player failing to remain seated in wheelchair seat when contacting the ball. |
| Original Rule Text | 3.A.45. Wheelchair Player - Any person, with or without a disability, who plays the game in a wheelchair. The wheelchair is considered par of the player's body. This can be a player with a disability or anyone that wants to play in a wheelchair. |
| Reasoning Behind Suggested Change | No other sport that has wheelchair competitive events allows use of feet to maneuver the wheelchair.
From the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation ( https://iwbf.org/rules-of-wheelchair-basketball/)
The wheelchair is considered part of the player’s body in relation to establishing responsibility for contact on the court in the case of charging, blocking, going out of bounds, and other violations... The player must remain firmly seated in his/her chair and must not use his/her lower limbs to steer the chair or gain an unfair advantage.
From USTA's Wheelchair and Adaptive Tennis (https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/adult-tennis/programs/midwest/wheelchair.html)
Wheelchair tennis players must propel the wheelchair using their hands and arms, minimizing the amount of time they have to
prepare the racquet.... During play, no part of a wheelchair player's foot may touch the ground.... |
| Rule Book Year | 2024 |
| Rule Change ID | 1042 |
| Date Created | April 12, 2023 |
| View Comments | View Comments |