International blind sports federation

GOALBALL RULES

2014-2017

January 1, 2014

Goalball is a game played by two teams of three players each, with a maximum of three substitutes for each team. The game is played in a gymnasium on a court meausring 18m x 9m, which is divided into two halves by a centre line. Teams remain on their own half of the court during the game. The purpose of the game is for each team to throw the ball by hand, along the floor, with the intent of getting the ball across the opponent’s goal line while the other team attempts to prevent this from happening. The goals and nets extend right across the 9m width at each end of the court. The ball is made of hard rubber but has holes in it so that the bells inside can be heard as the ball moves.

The rules of the game are controlled by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA).

If there is any misunderstanding between the English version of this rules document any translated versions of this rules document, the English version will be used.

Table of contents part a - goalball rules

SECTION A - PREPARATION FOR THE GAME

1    Court

2    Team Bench Area

3    Goals

4    Ball

5    Uniforms

6    Eyeshades/ Patches/Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses

7    Competiton Categories and Classification

8    Team Composition

9    Officials

SECTION B - BEFORE THE GAME

10  Coin Toss

11  Warm Up

12  Length of the Game

SECTION C - DURING THE GAME

13   Game Protocol

14   Scoring

15   Team Time Out

16   Official’s Time Out

17   Medical Time Out

18   Blood Rule

19   Team Substitution

20   Medical Substitution

SECTION D - INFRACTIONS

21  Premature Throw

22  Ball Over

23 Pass Out

SECTION E - PERSONAL PENALTIES

24  Short Ball

25  High Ball

26  Long Ball

27  Eyeshades

28  Illegal Defence

29  Personal Delay of Game

30  Personal Unsportsmanlike Conduct

31  Noise

SECTION F - TEAM PENALTIES

32  Ten Seconds

33  Team Delay of Game

34  Team Unsportsmanlike Conduct

35  Illegal Coaching

36  Noise

SECTION G - END OF THE GAME

37  Overtime

38  Extra Throws

39  Sudden Death Extra Throws

40  Signing the Score Sheet and Protest Procedures

 

SECTION H - REFEREES’ AUTHORITY AND ABUSE OF OFFICIALS

41 Referees’ Authority

42 Abuse of Officials

Part b – tournament regulations

43 IBSA Sanctioned Events or Paralympic Games

44 Facilities and Equipment

45 Accommodations

46 Officials

47 Organisation (Non-Paralympic Events)

48 Qualifying Standards

49 Conduct of Tournaments

50 Ranking of Teams in a Round Robin

51 Forfeits

52 Maximum Number of Games per Team per Day

53 Expulsion

54 Game Protocol

55 Technical Delegate

56 Exceptions to Tournament Regulations