Goalball is the Paralympic sport in which all competitors wear blindfolds to equalize vision conditions.
The game was created in 1946 to help rehabilitate veterans who had lost their sight during the Second World War. Two teams of three players compete on a court marked with tactile lines. Players roll a ball containing bells toward the opposing goal, while defenders listen and dive to block it.
All athletes wear opaque eyeshades, including players with different degrees of visual impairment. This prevents residual vision from creating an advantage. The ball’s bells and the requirement for quiet during play make hearing and spatial awareness central skills.
Goalball entered the Paralympic programme as a men’s event in 1976 and a women’s event in 1984. It is distinct from blind football, where players use a smaller team and a ball with sound cues on a football pitch.