Formation 1981 Headquarters Bonn, Germany Website www.ibsasport.org. | Type Sports federation President Jannie Hammershoi | |
The International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) is a nonprofit organization founded 1981 in Paris, France. IBSA's mission is to promote the full integration of blind and partially sighted people in society through sport and to encourage people with a visual impairment to take up and practice sports. IBSA is a full and founding member of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
IBSA is the international federation for several sports for people with a visual impairment, including three Paralympic sports (Five-a-side football, Goalball and Judo), Powerlifting, Ten-pin bowling, Nine-pin bowling, Torball, Athletics, Alpine skiing, Biathlon, Swimming, Shooting, Archery, Showdown, Nordic skiing, and Cycling.
IBSA's showcase event is the IBSA World Championships and Games, held every four years. The first games took place in 1998 in Madrid, Spain followed by the event in 2003 at Quebec, Canada. the 3rd edition of the games was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2007 and the 2011 games took place in Antalya, Turkey.
In 2015, between May 8 and May 18, the 5th IBSA World Championships and Games was held in Seoul, South Korea and included competitions in Powerlifting, Judo, Goalball, Football, Chess, Tenpin Bowling, Tandem Cycling, Swimming, Showdown and Athletics.
IBSA also organizes world and regional championships in many of its sports. Regional or continental championships are generally held in odd years, while world championships take place every four years in even years when there are no Paralympic Games.