Goalball

The Swedish goalball team at Athens Paralympic games

Goalball is a team sport designed for blind athletes. It was devised by Hanz Lorenzen (Austria), and Sepp Reindle (Germany), in 1946 in an effort to help in the rehabilitation of visually impaired World War II veterans. The International Blind Sports Federation, responsible for fifteen sports for the blind and partially sighted in total, is the governing body for this sport.

The sport evolved into a competitive game over the next few decades and was a demonstration event at the 1976 Summer Paralympics in Toronto. The sport's first world championship was held in Austria in 1978 and goalball became a full part of the Paralympics from the 1980 Summer Paralympics in Arnhem onwards.

Participants compete in teams of three, and try to throw a ball that has bells embedded in it into the opponents' goal. Teams alternate throwing or rolling the ball from one end of the playing area to the other, and players remain in the area of their own goal in both defence and attack. Players must use the sound of the bell to judge the position and movement of the ball. Games consist of two 12 minute halves (formerly 10 minute halves). Blindfolds allow partially sighted players to compete on an equal footing with blind players.

Court and equipment

International Blind Sports Federation rules require the field of play to be 18m long by 9m wide (about 19.7 yards by 9.8 yards). Goals span the width of the pitch. The ball weighs 1.25 kg (about 2.76 pounds) and has eight holes and noise bells contained within. The ball's circumference is around 76 cm (about 30 inches).

Players

Up to three substitutes are allowed in addition to the three starting players: one Center and two Wingers. Men and women compete separately. Eyeshades must be worn at all times during the match. In tournament play, patches cover the eyes beneath the eyeshades to prevent any player seeing if the eyeshades are inadvertently knocked off during the game. If eyeshades are knocked off, then play is stopped, and eyeshades are put back on. Goalball players are not allowed to compete without wearing eyeshades.

Infractions

Infractions are generally punished by the loss of possession to the other team

• Premature Throw - throwing the ball before the official has called "play".
• Pass Out - while passing between members of the team, the ball crosses the sideline.
• Ball Over - the ball rebounds off a defending player, the crossbar or goalposts and crosses back over the centre line.

Penalties

A penalty throw may be awarded for:

• A team taking more than ten seconds to throw the ball
• A player throwing a ball a third time consecutively
• Illegal Defence - defending a ball while out of your team area
• Short ball/high ball/long ball - ball does not land correctly in opponent's court
• Touching eyeshades
• Causing undue delay to the game - unnecessary eye shade checks, etc.
• Unsportsmanlike conduct
• Excessive noise
• Illegal coaching - coaching from the bench during play or after an official has said "Quiet please" with intentions of continuing or starting play. New rules in effect as of 2006 allow coaching from the bench during an "official timeout" in the United States, to comply with more of IBSAs rules.

In a penalty situation a single player is required to defend the entire goal for one throw.

Official IBSA Goalball rules

The current (2010-2013) official rules for Goalball may be downloaded from the International Blind Sports Federation website.

Paralympics

Goalball is a sport played at the Paralympics.

At the Paralympics, there is a number of 12 men's teams and 10 woman´s teams eligible to compete at the Games.

Around the world

United States

The sport is played in Pennsylvania. This sport is also played through the Milwaukee Recreation Department in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for adults and youth

Gallery

Goalball at the Paralympics

Goalballer Sarah Kennedy (Qld) makes a save for Australia at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games   Goalballer Raelene Bock (NSW) competes for Australia at the 1996 Summer Paralympics

See also

• Torball

External links

• Beijing 2008 Paralympic Goalball Information with an Australian slant from accessibility.com.au
• BBC Sport article with video and commentary on what Goalball is
• Goalball Australia