Overview of World Championship

What are B2/B3 classification?

◎ Variety of visually impairment

Visually impairment contains various conditions, such as blurred vision, visual field defect, yellowish hindered vision, and their combination.

◎"Amblyopia" and "Low vision"

Such kind of disorder of the visual system is called "amblyopia" as a medical term. In a broad sense, the condition of the people who have reduced vision is called "low vision".

◎　Definition of Visual Classes and classification

In the sports for the blind, visually impairment is classified into three different categories as follows:
B1: Visual acuity poorer than LogMAR 2.60.
B2: Visual acuity ranging from LogMAR 1.50 to 2.60 (inclusive) and/or Visual field constricted to a diameter of less than 10 degrees.
B3: Visual acuity ranging from LogMAR 1.40 to 1 (inclusive) and/or Visual field constricted to a diameter of less than 40 degrees.
*The determination of visual class will be based upon the eye with better visual acuity, whilst wearing best optical correction using spectacles or contact lenses, and/or Visual Fields which include central and peripheral zones.
In the game of Futsal B2/B3, each team consists of both B2 and B3 players mixed together. At all times during the match each team must have at least two B2 players on the field of play.

Competition for the categories B2/B3

◎ The fourth World Championship for the categories B2/B3

IBSA B2/B3 Futsal World Championship was firstly held in 1998 on Campinas, Brazil. The second championship was held in 2002 on Varese, Italy. The third one was held in 2004 on Manchester, England. Since then, B2/B3 Futsal World Championship has not been held for a long time. After an interval of nine years, B2/B3 Futsal World Championship will be held in Miyagi, Japan.
Besides of the B2/B3 Futsal World Championship, "IBSA World Championships and Games" is also held every four years. This international competition contains whole sports for blind athletes, including B2/B3 Futsal. Recent games were held on Sao Caetano Do Sul, Brazil in 2007 and on
Antalya, Turkey in 2011.

◎ Strongest countries in the world

Final standings of the latest International competition of B2/B3 Futsal, "4th IBSA World Championships and Games Antalya 2011", was as follows:

Champion : Rep. Belarus
2nd place : Ukraine
3rd place : Spain
4th place : England
5th place : Rep. Ireland
6th place : Rep. France
7th place : Rep. Turkey
8th place : Rep. Korea
9th place : Japan