Can you lift out of the seat in wheelchair basketball?
I · Intermediate · Chairs and classes · 1 of 3Lifting both buttocks off the seat to gain an advantage, such as to shoot, rebound or block, is a technical foul, giving the opponents a free throw. Making the whole chair leave the floor with both hands off the wheels is jumping, also banned. Tilting, lifting one rear wheel and one front castor, is legal when shooting, defending or rebounding.
How it works
- Lifting: both buttocks off the seat.
- Penalty: technical foul, one free throw.
- Lifting to block a shot: free throws to the shooter.
- Lifting to pick up a ball: a violation.
- Jumping: whole chair airborne, hands off.
- Tilting: one wheel and a castor up.
- Tilting: legal.
- Tap-off: lifting banned there too.
The glossary has the lifting, the jumping (wheelchair basketball), the tilting, the tap-off (wheelchair basketball), the seat height and the cylinder principle.
Tricky cases
A player leans forward to pick up a loose ball and lifts. Result?
A violation, not a foul.
Is balancing on one wheel legal?
Yes.
A defender lifts to block a shot. Penalty?
Free throws to the shooter.
Can a player lift slightly for comfort?
Only if not gaining an advantage.
Why the rule exists
Lifting adds height that classification does not allow. Tilting uses chair skill, which the game rewards.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lifting | Technical foul | 31.1 |
| Jumping | Not allowed | 31.1.2 |
| Tilting | Legal | 31.4 |
From the rule book
IWBF, Official Wheelchair Basketball Rules 2024 (version 2, valid from 3 February 2025), articles 12.2 and 31. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: IWBF Official Wheelchair Basketball Rules 2024.