International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation (ISMWSF)

Basketball at Stoke Mandeville Hospital

Annual International Stoke Mandeville Games for persons with paraplegia and tetraplegia were organised at Stoke Mandeville Hospital by their founder, Sir Ludwig Guttmann and hospital staff since 1952 with rules, classifications, policies and procedures decided by the participating countries, coaches, doctors and physiotherapists and set out in a Handbook of Rules. 

ISMWSF began its life as the International Stoke Mandeville Games Committee (ISMGC) evolving from this initiative and being constituted as a Federation in 1960 on the occasion of the International Stoke Mandeville Games (First Paralympic Games) in Rome, Italy.

By 1972, the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF) was constituted with remit to govern the sports and co-ordinate and serve the interests of an increasing number of national organisations in its membership in the Games’ programmes coming under its aegis (Paralympic, annual International Stoke Mandeville, Commonwealth and Regional Games).  The logo of the three wheels intertwined was reflective of the motto “Friendship, Unit & Sportsmanship”, which remains as the IWAS logo to this day.

In the early years, the fourth year of the International Stoke Mandeville Games programme quickly evolved to establish the Paralympic Games.  These early Paralympic Games heavily influenced national governments of the day to introduce services and programmes for persons with a disability where none had previously existed.

Amongst the many flagship ventures, ISMWSF can lay claim to, and significantly, the area which makes disability sport distinct from its able-bodied counterparts, the Federation from its inception has supported the evolution of classification systems and their ongoing refinement.  Within this policy, it paved the way for the universal adoption of functional classification systems in the 1980’s through promotion and application of new sport specific procedures and a move away from the traditional generic and medical systems.  It was the International Functional Classification Symposium staged at Stoke Mandeville during the 1991 International Stoke Mandeville Games which secured the new classification rules and regulations on a sport specific basis for the Barcelona Paralympic Games in 1992.

Another major role undertaken by the ISMWSF has been the provision of a training forum for the majority of Paralympic and Regional Games Organising Committees and their personnel - with no other major World Games for persons with a disability to refer to, the systems, procedures, rules and regulations developed by ISMWSF became the blueprint to be adopted and implemented.  It should also be said that the majority of leaders in this field, including the IPC and event organisers through to educators and trainers “cut their international teeth” on the Stoke Mandeville “experience”. 

In maintaining a home base at Stoke Mandeville, providing the movement with stability and continuity, and the annual programme of Games competitions on which were bolted meetings, assemblies, Symposia and Clinics, the ISMWSF created a Forum which could regularly address the issues of the day, and continually progress the movement forward.

It was in the late 80’s that the Federation took a giant step towards incorporation, the establishment of HQ offices and the recruitment of staff to work alongside volunteer positions.  This commitment was not lightly taken and engaged the Federation in increased revenue generation to cover obligations associated with such a move.  By 1991, the Federation was a registered and incorporated Charity with a staff of two.  In taking this step, the Federation was more readily able to coordinate the increasing number of programmes and services that were being called for from nations and sports, and address the growing interest of the public in the disability sports movement internationally.

At the same time, the expansion in demand for additional sport specific programmes, and the emergence of the International Paralympic Committee mandated to serve the nations’ interests in the Paralympic Games, led the ISMGF to consider its changing role and remit.  In 1991 the ISMGF constitution was amended to establish the International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation (ISMWSF), expanding its remit beyond that based solely on the governance of the Games event, to include a more comprehensive membership service through the governance and management of a wide range of sports specific operations, programmes and competitions.

In addition to its commitment to a singular function as the international wheelchair sport governing body, the ISMWSF has assisted in the creation and support of a strong and influential body dedicated to the furtherance of the identity of the Paralympic Games and its influence on a more accepting world as a founder member of the IPC. Once again, ISMWSF’s long established ideals, policies, rules, regulations and operations as a Games rights holder and international sport governance body were invaluable as reference tools to the IPC when it took over the Paralympic Games from ICC in 1993.  Indeed, many of the leaders in the IPC Executive and Standing Committees learned their craft within ISMWSF, and, we are proud to say, this included the emerging influence of current and ex athletes and women in key roles.

The mission statement of ISMWSF “to foster and encourage the development and self-determination of wheelchair athletes internationally from grass roots to elite level in a spirit of friendship, unity and sportsmanship” remains as true today as it has done in the past, giving ideal and value to the Federation’s work and guidance into the future through the amalgamation with ISOD, and the emerging Federation now known as IWAS (International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation) with a slight amendment from “wheelchair athletes” to “athletes with a physical disability” to encompass amputees and les autres.

Review of ISMWSF’s history indicates the high number of initiatives undertaken and maintained, and demonstrates the unique place ISMWSF holds within the Paralympic movement.

Paralympic Games

  • Awarded IOC recognition of the International Stoke Mandeville Games in 1956 (Fearnley Cup) and subsequent affiliation to the IOC
  • Established, governed and coordinated Paralympic Games from 1960 to 1972
  • Involvement of national governments in the sporting and socialisation objectives of persons with a disability encompassed in the Paralympic Games ideals
  • The term “Paralympic” was coined in the 50’s by the ISMGF family and was adopted by the Japanese Organisers of the International Stoke Mandeville Games in Tokyo in 1964
  • Created partnership with other IOSDs for Paralympic Games governance and coordination in1976 and 1980
  • 1980 –  Winter Paralympic Games were held under the joint aegis of ISMGF and ISOD
  • In partnership with the other IOSDs, the ICC was inaugurated in 1982 and coordinated the Summer & Winter Paralympic Games for 11 years until 1993
  • ISMWSF became a founder member and active partner of the IPC, contributing to the governance and coordination of the Winter and Summer Paralympic Games from 1994 to date
  • Other Achievements
  • The pioneering work of Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann and the international team he created, firmly established the ability and identity of men and women athletes with a disability in competition
  • Creation of an annual International Games event opportunity at Stoke Mandeville Hospital (1952)
  • Creation of an international network of donors to contribute to the building of the Stadium and accommodations at Stoke Mandeville
  • Creation of a birth place and home for international disability sport competition from rehabilitation to elite synonymous with the name Stoke Mandeville, and a model which has been replicated at many rehabilitation centres worldwide
  • Creation of a Games forum to foster and encourage participation, debate and promotion of disability sport matters in a wider audience
  • Creation of the first Disabled Sport Games Handbook in 1952
  • Creation of the first organisational infrastructure and operational model for the IOSD/Paralympic movement
  • Creation and development of national disability sport organisation networks (1952)
  • Created classification systems for paraplegic and tetraplegic athletes (1950’s), which have continued to be refined and adapted into today’s functional model
  • Provision of diverse Games opportunities for nations held under ISMGF Games rules– Commonwealth Paraplegic Games (1962, 1966, 1970, 1974) and other World Zone Games – Pan America (1967 - ) and Fespic (1975 - )
  • Assisted in the establishment and development of the International Sports Organisation for the Disabled (ISOD) to cater for the interests of disability groups other than spinal cord, including leadership and competitive opportunity (late 60’s)
  • Introduced the concept of partnership working between IOSDs in the 70’s at Paralympic Games level
  • Established, developed and refined Sport specific rules & regulations covering a diverse range of sports, initially for a Games programme, but later expanded to include sport specific competition and Championship situations
  • Introduction of sport specific development, training and education programmes (80’s)
  • Implementation of Anti-doping policy and procedures for Games
  • Establishment of relationships with able-bodied Federations (FIBA, FITA, ITTF) (80’s)
  • IOC patronage of Annual World Stoke Mandeville Games (1986)
  • Acknowledgement of the need to advance the movement into sports marketing areas and realisation of PR and Fundraising programmes (eg internationally driven “Sporting Wheels Worldwide” 1992-3 etc)
  • Implementation of Anti-doping policy and procedures for all sports under ISMWSF aegis (1991)
  • Introduction of Functional classification systems for sport (late 80’s/90’s)
  • Establishment of professionally staffed, full-time Secretariat dedicated to ISMWSF operations (1989) at Stoke Mandeville
  • Creation of tiered membership fee system based on GNP (1989)
  • Establishment of sport specific bid procedures and published calendars of competition (1990 -
  • Establishment of sport specific sanction and record systems
  • Created infrastructure for new and established sports to develop and gain autonomy from ISMWSF, either as IPC Sports (eg archery, table tennis, shooting etc) or IF Sports(e.g. wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis)
  • From its inception has continued to prioritise and champion the promotion of the interests of the more severely disabled in sport
  • From its inception has promoted and realised recruitment and advancement of women in key leadership roles at Federation and Sport levels
  • Nurtures and mentors the advancement of experience and expertise in nations
  • Provides feeder system to key leadership roles within other international disability sports organisations, with IPC and the paralympic movement becoming prime beneficiaries
  • From its inception has continued to provide a pathway for athlete career development from grass roots international to the Paralympic Games

The ISMWSF can sincerely claim tribute of its fellow partners in a paralympic movement which takes benefit from the product ISMWSF created, giving history and value to the Paralympic Games; as an initiator and contributor to paralympic ideals, achieving merit both past and present in the realisation of sports growth, provision of opportunity to athletes on their pathway to paralympic achievement; in the creation, implementation and sustainability of policies, systems and procedures, and the development of national networks and leadership on which the paralympic movement continues to flourish.

In 2003, ISMWSF merged with ISOD (the International Sports Organisation for the Disabled) to provide a single Federation for the physically disabled and began joint operations in 2004 under the banner of IWAS (International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation).