The Sport
Blind Football, also known as blind football, is an
adaptation of football for athletes with a vision impairment. The sport has
been governed by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) since
1996 and it is played with modified FIFA rules.
Blind football teams are made up of four outfield players and
one goalkeeper.
Outfield players must be classified as completely blind (B1
category), which means they have very low visual acuity and/or no light
perception, whilst the goalkeeper must be sighted or partially sighted (B2 or
B3 category).
To ensure fair competition, all outfield players must wear
eyeshades. Teams can also have off-field guides to assist them.
The ball makes a noise due to a sound system located inside
that helps players orientate themselves. As a result, spectators must remain
silent whilst watching the game until a goal is scored.
Blind football is played on a rectangular field that measures
40m long and 20m wide. The whole length of the pitch must be covered by
kickboards to prevent the ball from going out of play.
The duration of the match is 30 minutes, divided into two
15-minute halves. Each team can request a one-minute time-out in each half.
During the last two minutes of both halves, and in case of an extra time, the
timekeeper must stop the clock for a free kick, kick-in, goal kick and corner
kick. If a match is drawn after extra time, then like its 11-a-side version,
penalties may decide the outcome.
Classes
Athletes who compete in Blind Football have a very low visual
acuity and/ or no light perception (fully blind or nearly fully blind).
To ensure fair competition all players (except for the
goalkeeper) must wear eyeshades. This classification applies to the vision
impaired field players.
In addition, each team has a sighted, able-bodied goalkeeper,
who does not need to undergo classification.
History and Paralympic Debut
It featured at the Paralympics for the first time at Athens
2004 and has been contested at every Games since. Brazil have won gold at
every Games.
World Championships take place every four years in between
the Paralympics.
Iran Blind Football
Blind Football for the first time was administered in 2006
and players represented Team Iran at
2007 Asia-Oceania Competitions in South Korea.
Currently, para athletes are under support of IRISFB which is
member of the NPC to get support.
Media
Watch an introduction to Blind Football on Paralympic SportsA-Z: Blind Football