They developed Goalball, especially for visually impaired athletes. The game takes place with 3 athletes on each side and the objective is to score goals against the opposing team. sports
Each team is made up of 6 players, 3 reserves, and 3 starters. 3 substitutions can be made during the match. There is no difference between attacking and defensive players. To attack, you must throw the ball so that it touches the court at least once, before the opponent’s neutral area. The defense is made with 3 players from the opposing team on the ground.
The court where the goalball contest takes place is the size of the volleyball court: 9 m wide by 18 m deep, divided into 3 areas: attack, neutral, and defense. The attack and defense areas are 3 m deep each. The court lines are tactile so players can position themselves. The goalposts occupy the entire back of the court, measuring 9 m by 1.3 m high.
Measuring 76 cm in diameter and weighing 1.25 kg. The ball has bells inside and 8 holes so that players know by sound which direction it is going. The gym needs to be completely silent so that athletes can fully perceive the ball.
Goalball takes place in 2 halves of 12 minutes each, with a 3-minute break between them. If it ends in a draw, the game goes into extra time with two 3-minute halves. The match can also be ended earlier if one team has a 10-goal difference over the other.
Visually impaired athletes in classes B1 (totally blind or with light perception), and B2 (able to perceive figures). And B3 (can define images) can compete in this modality. To ensure a level playing field, all players wear a blindfold during the match.
