GOALBALL IN MALAYSIA

Austrian, Hanz Lorenzen and German Sepp Reindle invented Goalball in 1946, in an effort to help the rehabilitation of blinded war veterans. The game was introduced to the world in 1976 at the Paralympics in Toronto, Canada, with the first world championships being held in Austria in 1978. Since that time the popularity of Goalball has increased to where it is enjoyed in all IBSA regions.

The game is played by two teams of three players with a maximum of three substitutions on each team. The game is conducted on the floor of a gymnasium with a rectangular court which is divided into two halves by a center line. Goals are erected at either end. The game is to be played with a bell ball. The object of the game is for each team to roll the ball across the opponents’ goal line while the other team attempts to prevent this from happening.

The rules for international goalball competitions are those adapted by the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA).

In Malaysia, Goalball was first introduced as early as 1984 by the Malaysian Association for the Blind as a recreational game and since then, Goalball became the most popular game among the visually impaired (blind) in Malaysia. In 1997 with the co-operation of IBSA Malaysia has produced eleven (11) IBSA Level 1 Referees and Technical Officials. Since then there is no turning back in organising Goalball in Malaysia where we have two tournaments each year such as National Goalball League and National Open and also the Paralympics once in two years.

In 1999, it was a great honour for Malaysia to be invited to take charge of the Goalball event by the Organising Committee of the FESPIC Games Bangkok 1999. We also sent a Goalball team to participate at the FESPIC games in Busan 2002 & in Kuala Lumpur 2006.

Also in 1999 again, with the co-operation of IBSA the world controlling body for blind sports we produced another 9 Level 1 and 3 Level 2 Referees. One of our referees also represented as the International Technical Official (ITO) at the Paralympics games at Sydney Australia in 2000 and another ITO fro the Paralympics in Athens and it is yet another honour for another ITO being selected from Malaysia fro the Paralympics in Beijing, China 2008. It is yet another honour for Malaysia as 5 referees were selected to referee at the Busan FESPIC games in 2002 and 11 referees for the FESPIC games at Kuala Lumpur in 2006 and 3 referees at the KORAT PARA games early 2008.

There over 9 clubs and 8 state teams active in the games. Goalball is here to stay and will continue to progress to the highest level.

George Thomas
Executive Director
Malaysian Association for the Blind