About Goalball

Goalball is unique to Paralympic sport. The game is open to both male and female visually impaired athletes. All athletes must wear “black-out” masks to ensure equality in competition.

The object is to get the ball past opposition defence and into the opponent’s goal by throwing it quickly and accurately into the back of the net. The ball contains a bell to enable players to hear it and to block its path with their bodies.

Matches are played on a court 18m x 9m in two seven minute halves. Teams have three players on each side. Unusually for a sport, spectators are encouraged to stay silent to allow the players to focus on the sound and location of the ball.

There are three main rules concerning the way the ball is thrown. Firstly the ball must touch the floor of the court before passing over the centre line; secondly, when a member of the team gets the ball, that team has eight seconds in which to throw it must take place within eight seconds of coming under the control of the defending team; and thirdly no player may take more than two consecutive throws for their team.

Goalball is currently played in around 51 countries.

For those wishing to participate in the game the point of contact is as follows:

Goalball UK
C/O MLS
4 Park Square
Newton Chambers Road
Sheffield
S35 2PH
www.goalballuk.com

To contact Goalball UK click on the logo