Keith Jones, of Ospreys Wheelchair Rugby Club, remembers John Rhoney
For those of us that were around in the early years of wheelchair rugby I have with regret to pass on the sad news that John Roney died on the 22nd of December 2020.
For those of you that did not know John, he was one of the pioneering half point tetraplegics that helped to dispel the idea that people with high level spinal injuries would not be able to play a sport that had elements of ball control, physical endurance and chair control in a highly tactical contact sport.
In 1986 wheelchair rugby was still a fledgling sport when John was brought over from the spinal unit, where he was still rehabbing from his injury. The sport was being demonstrated outdoors on a tennis court at the Oswestry Spinal Injury Weekend Games for the first time. These were the days when the sport was played in your everyday chairs with no anti-tip bars, no camber on your wheels and no bull-bar to protect your feet or hook the other player.
He was soon involved with the sport and was a major part of the Scorpions wheelchair rugby team that won the National Games and the GB League twice with his help. He was one half of the team that set up a lightweight wheelchair manufacturing company still operating today.
He was part of the GB Team that took part in the Toronto wheelchair rugby tournament in 1989 when we toured internationally for the first time. He also helped in demonstrating and promoting the sport in Switzerland for the first time, which meant that wheelchair rugby then had enough countries playing for inclusion into the next Paralympic Games.
John was passionate about our game and was never shy in pointing out when things were unfair or unjust. He was a trailblazer for our sport. He pioneered by example what could be achieved for high-level tetras, not just in our sport but with independent everyday living.
RIP John Roney 17th April 1962- 22nd Dec 2020
Keith Jones
Ospreys Wheelchair Rugby Club
