Goalball Facts
Goalball is a team sport which is designed for blind athletes. It was invented by an Austrian man, Hanz Lorenzen, and a German man, Sepp Reindle in 1946.
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 championship was held 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. They must use the sound of the bell to judge the position and movement of the ball. Games consist of two 10 minute halves. Blindfolds allow partially sighted and sighted players to compete on an equal footing with blind players.
Up to three substitutes are allowed in addition to the three starting players. Men and women compete separately. Eyeshades must be worn at all times during the match.
International Blind Sports Federation rules require the field of play to be 18m long by 9m wide. Goals span the width of the pitch. The ball weighs 1.25kg and has eight holes and noise bells embedded. The ball's circumference is around 76cm.
The team taking more than ten seconds to throw the ball in goalball results in a penalty.
In goalball, infractions are generally punished by the loss of possession to the other team.
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