Hosting an International Goalball Tournament Ahead of 2020 Testing a New Spectator Experience

The "2019 Japan Para Goalball Tournament" commemorating His Majesty the Emperor's Accession to the Throne (Hosted by: Japan Sports Association for the Disabled (JPSA) Co-hosted by the Japan Goalball Association (JGBA)) was held on September 28 and 29 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City. Four teams participated: Brazil (World Rank 3), USA (World Rank 5), Japan A (Main Team, World Rank 4), and Japan B. "Japan Para" is Japan's premier para-sports competition, co-hosted by JPSA and the respective sports federations.
Makuhari Messe will serve as the official venue for this sport at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
(Image ⓒ Fort Kishimoto)

Goalball is a competitive team sport for visually impaired athletes.
Played on a court the same size as a 6-player volleyball court, each team fields three players. Points are scored by throwing the ball into the opponent's goal. The team scoring the most points within the match time (two 12-minute halves) wins. The game involves throwing the ball, defending, and rapid shifts between offense and defense.

 To ensure fair play, all players wear eye shades. With all visual information blocked, auditory cues become crucial. Therefore, the ball used contains bells. Players instantly assess the situation using the sound of the ball, the footsteps of opposing players, and communication with teammates to defend their goal and attack.
Watching the game live, you're amazed at how precisely the players move, wondering if they really can't see anything. You witness their highly attuned senses and physical abilities firsthand.

Japan A defeated Brazil 4-2 in the preliminary league match on the 28th. They also beat the USA 4-1 the following day, but lost 1-2 to the USA in the final, narrowly securing the silver medal.
Japan B lost 0-3 to Brazil in the third-place match, finishing fourth.

During the tournament, the JGBA tested a new style of spectating for the sport.
(Image provided by JGBA)

One was "Sound Visualize," which visualizes sounds occurring on the court. It visualizes the subtle variations in ball sound intensity that players distinguish and feints based on sound. The other was "Sound Realize," allowing spectators to experience the sounds players hear. It provided the unique experience of "sound-based spectating," offering an immersive feeling akin to becoming a player. Dentsu Lab Tokyo ( http://dentsulab.tokyo/ ) collaborated on the development of these initiatives.
Originally planned for media representatives only, the test received such positive feedback on-site that it was opened to general attendees, with many children also experiencing it. It is anticipated to become a system that enhances the appeal of spectator sports.

JPSA Goalball Site: https://www.jsad.or.jp/japanpara/goalball/
JGBA Official Website: http://www.jgba.jp/