Cannes_2026_MONDAY_ISSUE_DIGITAL

Wheelchair rugby saw teams of four players battling each other on reinforced wheelchairs, trying to get a volleyball to the other end of the pitch in a modified version of the popular sport. Punctuated by the clanging of chairs, the matches saw balls being lobbed, players blocking each other among plumes of dust and loose cannons racing for the try in a joyful mess. Members of the French national team Lucas Gumez and Auriane Devallière, who were competing in the Sao Paulo Wheelchair Rugby World Championship a few weeks ago, joined the matches to playfully bring their expertise and partake in the fun. On a neighbouring pitch, delegates were playing ‘blind pods’, a game that entailed teams of two players – one blindfolded, the other one guiding them – to race from pod to pod and score points by bumping the appropriate ones. While touch was allowed at the initial step of the guide, the guiding subsequently had to be done touch free and delegates had to resort to shouting directions or, more inventively, clapping hands. “This game is great to raise awareness on blindness and what adaptations can be made,” enthused Michael Barrett. But the sun was blazing on the pitch and the delegates were happy to retreat under a gazebo for the ‘Brain Box’ – a quiz during which their brains were picked about various handisport related trivia. Sponsored by Puressentiel, the ‘Brain Box’ competition was won by sports enthusiast ETRC’s Nikola Regecová, who was thrilled by the Antoine Dupont hand-signed rugby jersey gifted to her as first prize. Respectively second and third, m1nd-set’s Ameli Mohn and Imperial Brands’ Rui Fonseca were gifted rugby balls signed by members of Stade Toulousain. After the best players of the four teams were reshuffled in a red team and white team, a friendly yet merciless final wheelchair rugby match concluded the event, leading to the victory of white teammembers Puressentiel’s Christophe Fabre, Henry Willig’s Claudia De Witt, m1nd-set’s Claire Susset, and Sam Gerber, TFWA Vice-President Corporate and Member Services. Monday 28 September 2026 8 T F W A D A I L Y