We can do it, too!! : Paralympics

    Do you know what Paralympics is? Maybe you are interested in the disabled, so you would know it. But I will introduce for those who don't know it. Maybe they guess that Paralympics resemble Olympics. Yes, of course. People make Paralympics with taking 'para-' from paraplegia and '-lympics' from Olympics. It is Olympics that disabled people compete to get gold medals in. It is almost same as Olympics. Players who represent each country practice hardly to get gold medals. But rules of each events are little bit different. I will show some examples that have difference with Olympics.

    First, there are two kinds of soccer : for having cerebral palsy, for visually impaired people. Cerebral palsy soccer has almost same rules like normal soccer. But there are only seven people in each team. And they don't have to obey off-side rule. First half is only 30 minutes and second half is also 30 minutes. They run 60 minutes. On the other hand, visually impaired soccer is little bit different with cerebral palsy soccer. There are only five players in each team. All field players have to loose their eyesight totally. But if goal-keepers loose eyesight, they are too difficult to play. So it is ok to use person who has good eyesight. However, goal-keeper must be not a member of Football Association in the past five years. The ball that is used in visually impaired soccer has sound to inform to players where the ball is.
   And there is event only in Paralympics. It is 'Goalball'. I don't know what it is before watching real game. It is played by visually impaired players. Players have to roll the ball to opponent's goal-post. They play 7 minutes in each half. The ball is a little bit bigger than basketball and has two bells inside it. Players cover their eyes with guards for a full visual block. Maybe you don't understand what they do. So I prepare video for you!!

(video from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MLbC3er2Fc)

    Of course, there are more events in Paralympics like boccia, shoot, archery, etc. I just want to inform what Paralympics is and awaken giving more interest to disabled people. You should not avoid them. You have to think that they are same people like you with few difficulty. Latest Paralympics opened in 2012 in London. In the overall competition, China get first prize and Russia, UK are follow. Korea get 12nd. We have to encourage our athletes and to give more concern.