Wheelchair rugby has officially confirmed on the sports programme after considerable effort from the Korean Wheelchair Rugby Association (KWRA) and International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF).

"We successfully included wheelchair rugby in the Asian Para-Games but it is too soon to feel relieved, it is not settled down yet," said KWRA secretary general Yun-ho Kim.

"The International Federation and Korea has tried so hard to make wheelchair rugby an attractive sport, but we need positive support from each participating National Paralympic Committee.

"We had started to play this game just about 10 years ago.

"Wheelchair rugby is a sport for the disabled which needs support, including national support."

Kim added that it was difficult to get the support to include the sport at the Games as South Korea and Japan are the only two Asian nations to play the game regularly.

"To make wheelchair rugby an official event of APG, we held a tournament with great support of IWRF and the Korean Government in 2013, and that was really hard," he said.

"In that process, we also tried our best to help Malaysia, India and Thailand to participate.

"The situation is not that perfect yet, although they do have an attachment for wheelchair rugby, they have to persuade their government to get some active support.

"For the same goal, Korea and IWRF will do all that we can do."

Japan will be the strong favourites to take the wheelchair rugby title at the 2014 Asian Para-Games following strong performances at London 2012 and the 2010 World Championships ©Getty Images



As the only two established teams heading into the tournament, South Korea and Japan are expected to be the two teams fighting for top honours come the end of the Games.

Even here it seems Japan will hold a great advantage over the hosts with their national wheelchair rugby team currently amongst the best in the world.

The team is ranked fifth having placed fourth at London 2012 and taking bronze at the 2010 World Championships in Vancouver.

They will be using the tournament in Incheon as a chance to develop the team ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

South Korea, on the other hand, is still developing their wheelchair rugby team with the KWRA establishing as recently as 2004.

The team would love to win the tournament, but their main goal is to focus on further development of the sport within the country and the Asian zone.

The wheelchair rugby event will feature five teams in Incheon with South Korea and Japan joined by Thailand, Malaysia and India.

The Asian Para-Games is set to take place in Inceon from October 18 until 24.

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