Wheelchair rugby -- "Murder Ball" is "coming to Sydney," as Australia has been named the host of the 2018 Wheelchair Rugby World Championships, bringing the sport to Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush, according to Margie McDonald of THE AUSTRALIAN. The sport earned its nickname because of the athletes' "complete disregard for physical wellbeing" as they slam their steel-framed wheelchairs into each other to try to block opponents from getting the ball to the tryline. It is one of the sports unique to the Paralympic Games "and is played on the polished wooden surface of netball or basketball courts." It is the only sport that "has welders on the sidelines to make on-the-spot repairs to the frames and bumpers." Disability Sports Australia won the bidding process to host the event from Aug. 4-10, 2018. Venues at Sydney Olympic Park Complex, in particular the Netball Central building, will host the world’s top 12 teams including the Australian Steelers. The Steelers are the reigning Paralympic and world champions (THE AUSTRALIAN, 7/7).
