Goalball

Goalball is the most popular team sport in the world for athletes with blindness and visual impairments. The goal is simple, throw the ball into the opponent's goal while defending your own. The execution is a masterful and strategic game where athletes use sound and tactile markings to orient themselves on the court as they work together on hands and knees to get the ball into the opposing team’s goal. Teams are composed of three athletes all with visual impairments who wear eyeshades to ensure fair competition. Play takes place on a 18x9m court. Games consist of two 12-minute halves and the tournament has a preliminary round followed by direct elimination rounds. A hallmark of Goalball is the competition ball, which contains bells to ensure athletes can hear it during play. The game requires laser focus and strong communication, putting skillful collaboration and impressive spatial awareness on display.