Ian Chan

Biography

Ian Chan became a quadriplegic after a motorcycle crash in 1992. At the age of 15, he was encouraged to try wheelchair rugby at the insistence of Duncan Campbell, the recreational therapist at G.F. Strong and the inventor of the sport. Chan instantly fell in love with wheelchair rugby and made the team in 1998, winning a bronze at the World Championships. Since then, he was a fixture of Team Canada, playing a key role on the silver medal winning team at the 2014 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships.

Chan is the focus of the documentary Can’t Stop/Won’t Stop, an OMNI Television documentary focusing on Team Canada’s work ethic on their journey to the 2008 Bejing Paralympic Games. He also appeared in the documentary “Murderball.” Ian, #6 was one of three athletes to have his jersey number retired.

Ian passed away in March 2019 at the age of 41.