For many years, persons with disabilities have been spectators, while others have enjoyed the highs and lows of playing football. But in recent years, variations of disability football have been devised to allow virtually any person with disability to play, and to enjoy the thrills of taking part, and winning.
These sports are typically played using International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) rules, with modifications to the field of play, equipment, numbers of players, and other rules as required to make the game suitable for the athletes.
Football Games for PWDs:
Football for PWDs is now available from local clubs to international tournaments and several of the international governing bodies now hold their own World Cup finals.
British Blind Sport runs the national 5-a-side football league for visually impaired players. It also hosts football development days throughout the country and an annual national schools tournament.
Probably many wonder how the visually impaired can play football.
The ball is specially designed to produce sounds as it moves, so that the players know where it is located. The goalkeepers have a special coach behind them, who tells them where they need to go, left or right.
According to many visually impaired persons from birth, they became drawn to football because of the hype they feel around them when a match is played, and even though they cannot see, they can relate to it. There are many countries that have organized associations of visually impaired or partially sighted footballers and since 2002, world championships have been held.
By: Linda Amiani,