The IBSA World Games (formerly IBSA World Championships and Games) or World Blind Games are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA). The events enable blind and partially sighted athletes to compete in a number of sports. [1] The first event took place at Madrid, Spain in 1998. [2]
Edition | Year | Host | Dates | Sports |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1998 | Spain, Madrid | July 18–26 [2] | 4 |
2 | 2003 | Canada, Quebec | August 5–10 [3] | 5 |
3 | 2007 | Brazil, São Paulo | July 28-August 8 [4] | 6 [5] |
4 | 2011 | Turkey, Antalya | April 1–10 [1] | 7 |
5 | 2015 | South Korea, Seoul | May 8–18 | 10 |
6 | 2019 | Not held | - | - |
7 | 2023 | United Kingdom, Birmingham | August 18–27 | 11 [6] |
8 | 2027 | Uzbekistan, Tashkent | [7] |
Edition | Year | Host | Dates | Sports |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2005 | USA, Colorado Springs | August 4–10 | 5 |
2 | 2007 | USA, Colorado Springs | July 11–17 | 5 |
3 | 2009 | USA, Colorado Springs | July 15–20 | 3 |
4 | 2011 | USA, Colorado Springs | July 13–18 | 3 [8] |
5 | 2013 | USA, Colorado Springs | September 13–15 | 2 |
6 | 2015 | USA, Colorado Springs | July 26–30 | 1 |
7 | 2017 | HUN, Budaörs | July 1–9 | 1 [9] |
The inaugural 1998 sports event was held in Madrid, Spain for athletics, swimming, goalball and judo for the blind and vision-impaired.
The 2003 Quebec, Canada event included five-a-side football, goalball and judo, other disciplines have been added to the event. Blind athletes were able to compete in the following sports: powerlifting, ten-pin and nine-pin bowling, biathlon, alpine skiing, archery, showdown, swimming, shooting, torball, Nordic skiing, athletics and cycling. Although a lot of winter sports were added to the list such as skiing, but also bowling and many others, but was held in five sports: Swimming, athletics, goalball, judo, and powerlifting. [18]
The 2007 IBSA World Games was held from 28 July to 8 August in São Paulo, Brazil.
The sports were powerlifting, judo, goalball, football, swimming, and athletics. [19]
The 2011 Antalya, Turkey sports were athletics, chess, futsal (football) B1, futsal (football) B2/B3, goalball, judo, powerlifting, swimming. [20] [21]
The 2015 IBSA World Games was held from 8 to 18 June 2015, in Seoul, South Korea.
Nominations for the host nation for the 2019 IBSA World Games was called on 3 March 2017. [22] [23] It was not possible to find a host nation able to cater for all the sports. Instead the IBSA Goalball and Judo Paralympic Games qualifying tournaments were held in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States of America in June–July 2019, in conjunction with the federation's four-yearly international general assembly. [24]
In May 2020, British Blind Sport and the University of Birmingham, England was announced as the host city, for 18–27 August 2023. [25] There were ten sports, including goalball which was held in Coventry.
The host nation was announced in November 2024 for Tashkent, under the auspices of the Uzbekistan National Paralympic Committee. [7]
The International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) is a non-profit organisation founded 1981 in Paris, France. It was formerly known as the International Blind Sports Association. IBSA's mission is to promote the full integration of blind and partially-sighted people in society through sport and to encourage people with a visual impairment to take up and practise sports. IBSA is a full and founding member of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Blind Sports Australia, formerly the Australian Blind Sports Federation (ABSF) was formed in 1980 as the national body to coordinate sport for the blind and vision-impaired in Australia. It encourages and provides access to international competition in world blind and multi-disabled championships for sports recognised by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). BSA is headquartered near Melbourne.
The Asian Paralympic Committee is an organization based in United Arab Emirates. It has 45 National Paralympic Committees of the Asian continent as members. It organizes the Asian Para Games and is affiliated to the International Paralympic Committee.
B1 is a medical-based Paralympic classification for blind sport. Athletes in this classification are totally or almost totally blind. It is used by a number of blind sports including blind tennis, blind cricket, blind golf, five-a-side football, goalball and judo. Some other sports, including adaptive rowing, athletics and swimming, have equivalents to this class. It was used by para-alpine skiing and para-Nordic skiing until 2024.
B2 is a medical based Paralympic classification for blind sport. Competitors in this classification have vision that falls between the B1 and B3 classes. The International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) defines this classification as "visual acuity ranging from LogMAR 1.50 to 2.60 (inclusive) and/or visual field constricted to a diameter of less than 10 degrees." It is used by a number of blind sports including para-alpine skiing, para-Nordic skiing, blind cricket, blind golf, five-a-side football, goalball and judo. Some sports, including adaptive rowing, athletics and swimming, have equivalents to this class.
B3 is a medical based Paralympic classification for blind sport. Competitors in this classification have partial sight, with visual acuity from 2/60 to 6/60. It is used by a number of blind sports including para-alpine skiing, para-Nordic skiing, blind cricket, blind golf, five-a-side football, goalball and judo. Some other sports, including adaptive rowing, athletics and swimming, have equivalents to this class.
The Turkish Blind Sports Federation is the governing body to encourage and develop the sport for the blind and vision-impaired in Turkey. It is a member of the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Turkey men's national goalball team is the men's national team of Turkey. Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment. The team takes part in international goalball competitions.
Canada women's national goalball team is the women's national team of Canada. Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment. The team takes part in international goalball competitions.
Brazil women's national goalball team is the women's national team of Brazil. Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment. The team takes part in international goalball competitions.
Canada men's national goalball team is the men's national team of Canada. Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment. The team takes part in international goalball competitions.
Russia women's national goalball team is the women's national team of Russia. It takes part in international goalball competitions. Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment.
Algeria competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016.
The IBSA European Judo Championships is an event organized by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA). It is a paralympic judo competition, that is judo for visually impaired athletes. Organised biennially, the competition is not run during years when the IBSA World Judo Championships or the Summer Paralympics are contested.
Goalball in Cameroon is one of several sports available to people with vision impairments to participate in. It arrived late to the blind sports community in Cameroon, with torball arriving first. It has subsequently, been supported domestically by clubs such as Club for the Blind Youth of Cameroon (CJARC) and PROMHANDICAM Yaounde.
Goalball at the 2020 Summer Paralympics was held in the Makuhari Messe in Tokyo. The event was held from 25 August to 3 September 2021.
Algerian men's national goalball team is the men's national team of Algeria. Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment. The team takes part in international goalball competitions.
Japan men's national goalball team is the men's national team of Japan. Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment. Its men's team has internationally completed including at the IBSA World Goalball Championships and the Paralympic Games.
Brazil men's national goalball team is the men's national team of Brazil. Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment. The team takes part in international competitions.
The 2015 IBSA World Games was held from 8 to 18 June 2015, in Seoul, South Korea.