About Goalball

Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for blind and visually impaired athletes. It was created by an Austrian and a German as a means of assisting the rehabilitation of visually impaired WWII veterans. Now, goalball is played internationally, and has been an official Paralympic sport since 1980.

Goalball athletes compete in teams and try to throw a ball that has bells inside it into the opponents goal. Teams alternate throwing the ball from one end of the court to the other, using their bodies to block the ball from going in their net. Players use the sound of the bell to track its position and movement. Games consist of two 12-minute halves. Eyeshades are worn by all athletes to allow partially sighted players to compete on an equal playing field with blind players.

Watch and listen to Goalball with a video from the 2012 Paralympic Games in London: