Gaza’s visually impaired athletes join goalball tournament

Gazans can be seen at the Goalball Championship, a game designed specifically for athletes who are visually impaired on 21 November 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Gazans can be seen at the Goalball Championship, a game designed specifically for athletes who are visually impaired on 21 November 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Gazans can be seen at the Goalball Championship, a game designed specifically for athletes who are visually impaired on 21 November 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Gazans can be seen at the Goalball Championship, a game designed specifically for athletes who are visually impaired on 21 November 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Gazans can be seen at the Goalball Championship, a game designed specifically for athletes who are visually impaired on 21 November 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Gazans can be seen at the Goalball Championship, a game designed specifically for athletes who are visually impaired on 21 November 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Eight teams made up of 40 players took part in Gaza’s Goalball Championship, a game designed specifically for athletes who are visually impaired.

Organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the tournament is the first of its kind in the Gaza Strip and aims to give all Palestinians the opportunity to partake in sports.

It is hoped that the championship will allow a team to be put together to represent Palestine in Arabic and international championships.

Participants compete in teams of three, and try to throw a ball that has bells embedded in it into the opponents’ goal. The ball is thrown by hand and never kicked. Sportspersons use ear-hand coordination to defend their goal. It is played indoors, usually on a volleyball court, with games lasting 24 minutes with an interval half way through.

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