Demonstrative 5-A-side match at Cochin for selection of Indian team to play with UK team
Demonstrative 5-A-side match at Cochin for selection of Indian team to play with UK team
Cochin: 23rd April 2022: Shri. Gursharan Singh - Secretary General - PCI & Shri. Ashok Bedi, Member - PCI along with Mr. Sunil Mathew - Indian Blind Foot Ball Federation was present in the ceremony for Demonstrative 5-A-side match at Cochin for selection of Indian team to play with U.K team. Men team has already qualified for the 2022 Asian Para Games at Hangzhou . There was announcement of team at a press conference in Cochin.
Introduction: Blind Football is an exciting, fast paced 5-a-side football played by visually impaired athletes using a ball with a noise-making device inside. Played on a smaller pitch on an enclosed court, the game was only introduced as a Paralympic event in 2004. There is more dribbling and short passing than in the mainstream sport, and crowds remain quiet during play to ensure that players can hear the ball, their team-mates and opposition players. Matches are played between two teams, ground size of 40 m X 20 m, each with four outfield players and a goalkeeper. The outfield players are visually impaired (VI) and wear eyeshades to ensure fairness; however, the goalkeeper may be fully or partially sighted. The pitch is surrounded with a rebound wall; the sport is played with no throw-ins and no offside rule, which ensures non-stop action. Matches are played over two halves of 25 minutes each, plus 10 minutes for half-time. All players are blindfolded before a game so that this becomes a 'level playing field' for all players partial or fully blind..
