Goalball
There are many great sports that are part of the 2008 Paralympics. Among them is a sport that dates back over 50 years called Goalball. Goalball is a sport that originated in Europe and is played by athletes with limited or no vision.
Hanz Lorenzen, an Austrian, and Sepp Reindle, a German, developed the game in 1946 as way to help the rehabilitation of war veterans. An exhibition match was played at the 1976 Paralympics and it became a official Paralympic sport at the next games, which were held in Arnhem.
Two teams of three players each compete and try to throw a ball through their opponents goal. The court is eighteen meters long and nine meters wide. Goals span the entire 9 meters and are located at either end of the court. The teams lay down in the goal box and attempt to block the throws of the other team. The ball contains a bell or other noise maker and has eight holes in it.
Eyeshades are worn by all players and they wear eye patches under the shades. If the ball is thrown out of bounds or bounces off of a defending player, the goalposts, or crosses back over the other side, possession of the ball is lost. A 10 second shot clock is used and a player can not throw the ball more than two times without receiving a penalty. Players are also not allowed to touch their eyeshades, make excessive noise, coach from the sidelines, or defend the ball while out of the team area.
For more information, including detailed rules, visit http://www.goalballnetwork.com/
