The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation has added four more members ©IWBF

African countries Rwanda, Liberia and Ethiopia are among four new members of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF).

Malta has also been accepted as an IWBF member by the organisation's Executive Council.

This takes the IWBF's membership to 95, with the Africa Zone now boasting 14 member countries and the Europe Zone 35.

"It is always a pleasure to add new members to the IWBF family, but it is even more so given the challenging circumstances the world is facing," said IWBF President Ulf Mehrens.

The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation now has 95 members ©Getty Images
The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation now has 95 members ©Getty Images

"It is especially encouraging to see further engagement in the Africa Zone, an area we are focussing on, and is testament to the great work being done by the Zone.

"We would like to welcome all four into the wheelchair basketball family and we look forward to working with them as they not only progress and develop the sport within their countries but showcase and drive social inclusion."

An African team has never won a Paralympic medal in wheelchair basketball.

Algeria's men's and women's teams both booked places at Tokyo 2020 through the IWBF Afro Paralympic Qualifiers.