Role of football and how it helps person with visual disability
Football is one of the world’s most popular Paralympic sports. Under the governance of IBSA, the sport is split into two divisions: blind football and partially sighted football. Blind football is for players who fall under the “b1” totally blind category, while “b2” and “b3” fall under the partially sighted category. Football for the blind, which started out as a playground game for pupils in special schools, has now become one of the most popular sports in Paralympics for people with visual impairments worldwide.
How is blind football played?
Blind football players are divided based on their level of vision: B1 “totally blind,”, B2 “partially sighted,”, and B3 for “partially blind.” B2 and B3 players can compete in partially sighted football, which has slightly different rules from blind football. Matches consist of two halves of 20 to 25 minutes each. Each team can have five players on the pitch at any time, four outfield players who are visually impaired, and one goalkeeper. Each team can also have five substitutes.
All outfield players should wear a blackout eyeshade to ensure that the competition is on equal terms. Shin guards are also required. The goalkeeper can be sighted or visually impaired, but they must stay in their penalty area throughout the game and issue instructions to the outfield players. Each team will have two sighted coaches who can communicate advice to the players positioned on the halfway line and behind the goal that their team is attacking. The coach who is behind directs the forward players, and the other one on the sideline instructs the midfield players, while the goalkeeper helps to organize the defense.
In blind football, players rely completely on their sense of sound, which is why viewers are asked to stay silent during playtime. When the footballers move towards an opponent, go in for a tackle, or are searching for the ball, they communicate verbally with the word code. When a goal is scored, everyone is encouraged to make as much noise as they like.
Conclusion:
The sport was started as a way of trying to rehabilitate the visually challenged by the Society for Rehabilitation of Differently Abled People. The Indian Blind Football team ranks fifth in Asia and 25th in the world. They aspire to be number one in Asia in two years, but the lack of encouragement and support from the government has derailed their progress.