What is Olympic goal ball?

Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment. Eyeshades allow partially-sighted players to compete on an equal footing with blind players. Eyepatches may be worn under eyeshades to ensure complete coverage of the eye, and prevent any vision should the eyeshades become dislodged.

How many people can be on a goal ball team?

How goalball is played. Goalball is an indoor sport played by two teams. Teams are made up of six players, with three members playing at any one time. It is played on a court that is 18m long and 9m wide, often on an indoor volleyball court without the central net.

Why is goalball in Paralympics?

Goalball was devised in 1946 in an effort to rehabilitate visually impaired veterans who returned from World War II. The sport, exclusively for athletes with visual impairments, consists of two halves of 12 minutes each and athletes wear blackout masks on a playing court.

How do athletes know where the ball is in goalball?

The opposing team must block the ball from entering their net by throwing their bodies across the floor. The game ball is about the size of a basketball and has several bells inside, so the blinded athletes know where it is.

What are the rules of goal ball?

The object of the game is to roll a basketball size ball with bells inside over the opponent’s goal line. Your opponents listen for the oncoming ball and attempt to block it with their bodies. Once they are able to stop the ball and take control of it, they become the offensive team.

How big is a goal ball court?

The court is 18 meters long and 9 meters wide (59 feet by 29.5 feet) — roughly the size of a volleyball court. Three players per team are on the court at a time, with the task of trying to roll a ball into the opponent’s net while also defending their own goal, which is the width of the court.

Are goal ball players all blind?

Goalball is played exclusively by athletes who are blind or vision impaired. All international athletes must be legally blind, meaning they have less than 10 per cent vision, and are classified as a B3, a B2, or a B1 – totally blind. Teams are made up of six players, with three members playing at any one time.

What is boccia ball?

Boccia (pronounced ‘Bot-cha’) is a Paralympic sport introduced in 1984. It has no Olympic counterpart. Athletes throw, kick or use a ramp to propel a ball onto the court with the aim of getting closest to a ‘jack’ ball. It is designed specifically for athletes with a disability affecting locomotor function.

How heavy is a goalball ball?

1.25kg
Ball. The ball used for goalball competition is made of rubber, weighs 1.25kg and has a circumference of approximately 76cm. It has eight holes and there are noise bells inside.

Can non blind people play goal ball?

Goalball is open to athletes with a vision impairment. Athletes are required to submit medical reports and meet the minimum impairment criteria in order to compete. Eligibility is determined by trained Classifiers.

Are goal ball players blind?

Goalball is played exclusively by athletes who are blind or vision impaired. It was invented in 1946 to help rehabilitate veterans who had lost their sight during the Second World War. Players must wear opaque eyeshades at all times ensuring fair competition.

How do you win in goal ball?

A goal (one point) is awarded to the attacking team every time they get the ball past the opponent’s goal line. At the end of a game, the team with the most points is the winner and if both teams are tied, two additional three-minute overtime periods are played for a golden goal.

How big is a goalball court in feet?

A goalball court is the same size as a volleyball court, measuring 18 metres long and nine metres wide. It has goals at each end covering the entire nine-metre back-line. String is taped to the markings on the court to allow players to feel the lines and orientate themselves.

How often does a goalball have to touch the floor?

The goalball must touch the floor at least once before crossing this line or a penalty is given by an official. Other common penalties include holding the ball too long, one player throwing too many times consecutively and touching your eyeshade without permission from an official.

What are the penalties in goalball for holding the ball too long?

Other common penalties include holding the ball too long, one player throwing too many times consecutively and touching your eyeshade without permission from an official. When a penalty occurs, the guilty player must defend the entire court by himself.

Who is the national governing body for goalball?

U.S. Association of Blind Athletes serves as the National Governing Body for the Paralympic sport of Goalball. Elite men’s and women’s goalball teams normally consist of six athletes but compete in teams of three.