Slam Dunk Appointments

Ade Adepitan MBE and Great Britain wheelchair basketball international James MacSorley have joined the steering group for the IWBF Wheelchair Basketball European Championships 2027.

The Championships will take place at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena from September 11-18, 2027, bringing together 18 of Europe’s top men’s and women’s national teams.

With qualification for the LA 2028 Paralympic Games at stake, the competition will give British fans the chance to see some of the best wheelchair basketball players in Europe competing on home soil.

Ade (pictured above) won bronze in wheelchair basketball at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games before going on to become a familiar face on British television. He has also become a prominent advocate for disability representation and will support the Championships’ aim of reaching new audiences and challenging perceptions of disability in sport.

“Sport has a real power to change the way people think about disability,” said Ade.

“Wheelchair basketball is fast, physical and highly competitive, and I want more people to see that for themselves. I’m delighted to support the Championships and help raise the profile of the sport, while challenging some of the assumptions people still have about disability.”

James MacSorley (pictured above), who represents Great Britain in wheelchair basketball, joins the steering group with a particular focus on the athlete experience. He is also a member of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) Players’ Commission, representing Europe, giving him an international perspective on the needs and priorities of players.

The steering group provides a strategic oversight of the Championships, helping guide plans for the event and ensuring that the needs of athletes and spectators are well considered.  The group will be made up of representatives of Liverpool City Council (LCC), British Wheelchair Basketball (BWB), UK Sport (UKS) and UKEL, plus four independent members and an independent chair.

Alongside nine days of top-level competition, the Championships will aim to raise the profile of wheelchair basketball, encourage more people to take part and give disabled athletes greater visibility.

For more information and event updates, visit www.wbeuro27.com.