Goalball classification

Goalball classification is the classification system for goalball. Goalball players with a disability are classified into different categories based on their vision based disability type. The classification is handled by the International Blind Sports Association.

Definition

Goalball classification at the Paralympic Games is the basis for determining who can compete in the sport, and within which class. It is used for the purposes of establishing fair competition. Entry is eligible to male and female athletes with a visual disability in one of the three blind sport classifications: B1, B2 and B3.[1] The blind classifications are based on medical classification, no functional classification.[2] This sport has rules that were designed specifically with people with disabilities in mind.[3]

  • Visualisation of functional vision for a B1 competitor
  • Visualisation of functional vision for a B2 competitor
  • Visualisation of functional vision for a B3 competitor

Governance

The sport is governed by the International Blind Sports Association.[1][4] In Australia, the Australian Paralympic Committee is the National Federation for the sport.[5]

Eligibility

As of 2012, people with visual disabilities are eligible to compete in this sport.[6][1] Both men and women are eligible to play.[1]

History

The sport was created by the International Blind Sports Association as one intentionally not based on able-bodied sport. It was created to deal with specific needs of blind sport competitors.[7]

The sport was created in 1946 for veterans who were blind.[1] In 1992, the International Paralympic Committee formally took control of governance for disability sport.[8]

Classes

Athletes are classified by their degree of visual impairment as follows:

  • B1. Athletes are unable to perceive light in either eye — or have limited perception of light and are not able to "recognise the form of a hand at any distance and in any direction".[9]
  • B2. Athletes are able to "recognise the form of a hand to a visual acuity of 2/60 and/or a visual field of less than 5 degrees".[9]
  • B3. Athletes have a "visual acuity of above 2/60 to a visual acuity of 6/60 and/or a visual field or more than 5 degrees and less than 20 degrees".[9]

All athletes wear blindfolds while playing to ensure even level of plays[1] amongst competitors with different degrees of visual impairment.

Process

Goalball assessment looks at a player's audio-spatial orientation during assessment.[10] For Australian competitors in this sport, the sport and classification is managed by the Australian Paralympic Committee.[11] There are three types of classification available for Australian competitors: Provisional, national and international. The first is for club level competitions, the second for state and national competitions, and the third for international competitions.[12]

At the Paralympic Games

The sport was first played at the Paralympics as a medal sport in 1980.[1] It had appeared in 1976 as a demonstration sport.[1] At the 1992 Summer Paralympics, blind people were eligible to participate, with classification being run through IBSA, with all participants wearing goggles.[13] At the 2000 Summer Paralympics, 19 assessments were conducted at the Games. This resulted in 5 class changes.[14] Goalball competition at the London 2012 Summer Paralympics will be held at Copper Box (Olympic Park) from 30 August to 7 September. Sixty women and seventy-two men will compete for two medal events. A maximum of one men's team and one women's team per country is allowed, with six athletes per team. All competitors will wear eyeshades to ensure visual impairment equality.[15]

For the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, the International Paralympic Committee had a zero classification at the Games policy. This policy was put into place in 2014, with the goal of avoiding last minute changes in classes that would negatively impact athlete training preparations. All competitors needed to be internationally classified with their classification status confirmed prior to the Games, with exceptions to this policy being dealt with on a case by case basis.[16]

Prominent athletes

Goalball players include Jennifer Blow, Meica Christensen, Michelle Rzepecki, Nicole Esdaile, Rachel Henderson and Tyan Taylor.[17]

Future

Going forward, disability sport's major classification body, the International Paralympic Committee, is working on improving classification to be more of an evidence-based system as opposed to a performance-based system so as not to punish elite athletes whose performance makes them appear in a higher class alongside competitors who train less.[18]

References
  1. Michael Hutson; Cathy Speed (17 March 2011). Sports Injuries. Oxford University Press. p. 441. ISBN 978-0-19-953390-9. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  2. Joseph P. Winnick (27 October 2010). Adapted Physical Education and Sport. Human Kinetics. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-7360-8918-0. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  3. Robert C. Schenck (1999). Athletic Training and Sports Medicine. Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 818. ISBN 978-0-89203-172-6. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  4. Ian Brittain (4 August 2009). The Paralympic Games Explained. Taylor & Francis. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-415-47658-4. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  5. "Summer Sports — Australian Paralympic Committee". Australian Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  6. "Layman's Guide to Paralympic Classification" (PDF). Bonn, Germany: International Paralympic Committee. p. 9. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  7. Doll-Tepper, Gudrun; Kröner, Michael; Sonnenschein, Werner; International Paralympic Committee, Sport Science Committee (2001). "Organisation and Administration of the Classification Process for the Paralympics". New Horizons in sport for athletes with a disability : proceedings of the International VISTA '99 Conference, Cologne, Germany, 28 August-1 September 1999. 1. Oxford (UK): Meyer & Meyer Sport. p. 290. ISBN 1841260363. OCLC 48404898.
  8. DePauw, Karen P; Gavron, Susan J (1995). Disability and sport. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. p. 43. ISBN 0873228480. OCLC 31710003.
  9. "Goalball Classification". Australian Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  10. Vanlandewijck, Yves; Thompson, Walter R; IOC Medical Commission (2011). The paralympic athlete : handbook of sports medicine and science. Handbook of sports medicine and science. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 23. ISBN 9781444334043. OCLC 642278479.
  11. "Summer Sports". Homebush Bay, New South Wales: Australian Paralympic Committee. 2012. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  12. "What is Classification?". Sydney, Australia: Australian Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  13. DePauw, Karen P; Gavron, Susan J (1995). Disability and sport. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. p. 128. ISBN 0873228480. OCLC 31710003.
  14. Cashman, Richard I; Darcy, Simon; University of Technology, Sydney. Australian Centre for Olympic Studies (2008). Benchmark games : the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. Petersham, N.S.W.: Walla Walla Press in conjunction with the Australian Centre for Olympic Studies University of Technology, Sydney. p. 152.
  15. "Goalball — About". London 2012 Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 22 August 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  16. "Rio 2016 Classification Guide" (PDF). International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. March 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 16, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  17. "AAP News: OLY:Australian goalballers London bound". Australia: AAP News. 8 May 2012. WAAP97280181. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  18. "Classification History". Bonn, Germany: International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
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