A transition provision in the IWBF's classification rules has been exttended ©Getty Images

The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) has extended the transition period for its classification rules by six months.

The move follows the postponement of the IWBF World Championships, which had been due to take place last month in Dubai.

However, a clash with the FIFA World Cup in Qatar led to Emirati authorities ordering a postponement and the IWBF's flagship event is now set for June next year.

As a result, the transition provision due to expire on December 31 2022 has been extended to June 30 2023.

The transition provision allows for players who have undergone an eligibility assessment - the first stage of player evaluation - which confirmed they have an eligible impairment to take part in IWBF events before the reclassification process is complete.

A classification row had threatened to see wheelchair basketball removed from the Paralympic programme ©Getty Images
A classification row had threatened to see wheelchair basketball removed from the Paralympic programme ©Getty Images

A request to extend the transition provision was approved by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board.

New classification rules for wheelchair basketball were needed following a disagreement between the IWBF and IPC.

In January 2020, the IPC removed wheelchair basketball from the Paris 2024 programme and said the sport could even miss out on Tokyo 2020 because the IWBF was not compliant with the IPC Athlete Classification Code.

Wheelchair basketball has been conditionally reinstated to the 2024 Paralympic schedule, with IPC President Andrew Parsons saying last year he was "pleased with the significant progress made by the IWBF".