Wheelchair Rugby Player, René Hernesz: Overcoming Adversity Through Sport

In April 2010, a car accident changed Hernesz’s life abruptly. Due to a paraplegia, he ends up in a wheelchair. For the Styrian, however, it soon becomes clear that he wants to do something to counteract his fate: and that means sport. Due to his severe knee injuries, Hernesz first starts with table tennis, where he celebrates his first successes right from the start.

A little later he came into contact with wheelchair rugby for the first time in the rehabilitation center in Tobelbad. And is – as Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel would say – in love with shock. “My heart opened up immediately. I liked the harshness of simply hitting someone else without taboo,” laughs Hernesz. Of course, it’s not just the hard factor that fascinates him – the team spirit and tactical finesse also inspire the athlete.

Hernesz: “Sport is awesome”

“I generally recommend everyone who is in a wheelchair to do sports. You get to know a lot of people who feel the same way. The team spirit in sport is also great, because you grow together with the tasks. It doesn’t have to be at a professional level, it’s enough for mass sport,” says Hernesz, who, in addition to rugby, also plays wheelchair basketball in the win2day wheelchair basketball league.

In rugby, the 36-year-old is one of the best players in Austria as a high pointer. High-Pointner means that he has even higher bodily functions compared to others. “We play with eight points on the field. In this case, the points represent bodily functions. With little function it starts at 0.5, with many functions like mine you are at 3.5 points. In order for the whole thing to be balanced and fair, you can have a maximum of eight points on the field. So every bodily function has its importance on the pitch. My role doesn’t work if a 0.5 point player doesn’t fulfill his task,” explains Hernesz.

Sport Austria Finals as a big highlight

A big highlight for Hernesz will be in June when the Sport Austria Finals powered by Holding Graz take place in the Styrian capital. After he was there with wheelchair basketball last year, he can now celebrate his finals premiere with wheelchair rugby in 2023. “I think it’s really cool that an event like this is being held. You get a lot of media attention and you can bring your sport into contact with people who have never heard of it before. For us, this advertising is priceless.”

In terms of sport, the top player of the Steirische Eichen has a clear goal: After the runner-up title in 2022, the championship title is to come again this year. “We are the favorites for the title. Especially at home in Graz we want to leave the pitch as winners. That’s a big motivating factor. In any case, the anticipation is huge! We know that we will get a lot of people into the hall and that we will have a lot of support accordingly.”

Austria far behind when it comes to inclusion

His rugby talent has meanwhile brought the Styrian to the USA. He played for Los Angeles for a total of two seasons and was able to immerse himself in a completely different world there. “It’s not comparable to Austria. The rugby community is still in its infancy here compared to America. Also in terms of media attention and financial opportunities. In the USA everything is set up professionally, the games are broadcast on TV and the newspapers also report on them. With us, you don’t even read a line about it because the media isn’t interested in it.”

In general, America is much further ahead when it comes to inclusion. Also, according to Hernesz, because of historical reasons. “It may sound stupid, but America is a nation at war, so there have always been a lot of people with disabilities. As a result, inclusion started early there.” Hernesz is a board member of the Styrian Social Projects Association so that more things can happen in Austria in terms of inclusion. With the aim of bringing all people who have fallen out of society back into the middle.

Austria still in the “Stone Age”

“It’s not just about disabled people for us, but also about socially disadvantaged or homeless people,” explains Hernesz. “We want to create a platform where these people get attention. It also gives people their dignity back when they become part of society again.” Of course, as the person affected, it is particularly important to him that the situation for wheelchair users continues to improve.

“It’s come a long way in the last ten years, but if I use America as a comparison, we’re still in the Stone Age. In Los Angeles, for example, I’m looking for a restaurant without a wheelchair toilet just as long as I’m looking for a restaurant with a wheelchair toilet in Graz. It’s often just the little things that make things go wrong.”