FOOTBALL IN ATHENS Events: Men (6 x teams) Schedule: 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 Sept 2004 Venue: Helliniko Olympic Complex Athletes: 60 Team GB: None GB medals in Athens: None

Each match is played between two teams with four blind athletes and one sighted or visually impaired goalkeeper on the field, and five substitutes.

Rules are the same as Olympic football except the ball makes a noise when it moves, the goalkeepers may be sighted the rest of the team uses eyeshades.

The Paralympic competition was only for

men and was a six-team tournament.

Background

Football 5-a-side's popularity has grown in a relatively short time.

The first National Championship took place in Spain in 1986 and 18 years later made its inaugural appearance at Athens.

Events

The competition is a six-team event, with athletes divided into three classes; B1, B2 and B3

Athletes with total vision loss are classified as B1, while B2 and B3 covers participants with partial vision impairment.

Beginners' guide

A match lasts 50 minutes with two halves lasting 25 minutes each and a 10 minutes half time in between.

The winning team is the one, which scores the most goals during a match.

The sport is governed by the rules and regulations of the International Association of Football Associations (Fifa) and the Football Committee of the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA).

British results

Alas, Britain had no football representatives in this summer's Paralympics.

England qualified for the competition in Athens, but any team competing in the Games would have to represent Great Britain rather than England.

It would have required agreement from the other home nations, which was not been forthcoming.