ISPS Handa becomes new major partner of Wheelchair Rugby Australia
Wheelchair Rugby Australia is delighted to announce a new partnership with the International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS Handa) and Rugby Australia.
ISPS Handa has signed a two-year contract as principal partner for both the Australian Men’s and Women’s Rugby Sevens teams, and has become an official partner of Wheelchair Rugby Australia.
Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos, Australian sevens players Henry Hutchison and Dom Du Toit, and Chris Nay, CEO Wheelchair Rugby Australia, at the announcement of ISPS Handa as a sponsor.
Photo Credit: Getty
It has been an extraordinary year for wheelchair rugby in Australia. The introduction of the Wheelchair Rugby National League successfully filled a void in the competition pathway, whilst the recent success of the Australian Steelers at the World Championship in Denmark shows things are trending in the right direction.
Founded in 2006 by Dr Haruhisa Handa, ISPS Handa facilitates the transformative power of sport in countries all over the globe, while maintaining the organisation’s deep commitment to supporting charitable causes in the sporting world.
“We’re delighted to partner with Rugby Australia and Wheelchair Rugby Australia, and very excited to be directly involved in Sevens Rugby, which continues to grow in popularity around the world,” said Dr Handa.”
"I’m also extremely happy that we are supporting Wheelchair Rugby through this partnership, because I have believed for a very long time in the importance of giving people with disabilities the best possible opportunity to be involved in sport.”
Dr Handa has founded numerous charitable organisations, both in Japan and overseas, as he firmly believes that sport has the ability to unite communities across social, racial and socio-economic barriers.
Credit: Stephen Tremain
Credit: Stephen Tremain
Wheelchair Rugby Australia CEO, Chris Nay said, “We are delighted to welcome ISPS Handa to the Wheelchair Rugby family.
“We have seen significant growth in our sport across the past twelve months.
“This support will enable us to solidify that growth and continue to provide leading pathways and opportunities for the entire wheelchair rugby community across athletes, coaches, officials and classifiers.
“We are very thankful to Rugby Australia, ISPS Handa and the broader Rugby community for their support, as evidenced through this unprecedented arrangement."