Goalball is a Paralympic sport exclusively for athletes who are visually impaired and blind. The aims of this Additional anthropometric measurements included body mass (kg), body height (cm), the arm span (cm) and length of the body in the defensive position (cm). The results differentiating both groups showed that the players with total blindness obtained higher means than the players with visual impairment for game indicators such as the sum of defense (p = 0.03) and the sum of good defense (p = 0.04). The players with visual impairment obtained higher results than those with total blindness for attack efficiency (p = 0.04), the sum of penalty defenses (p = 0.01), and fouls (p =

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Proper body balance plays a significant role in performing motor skills and it depends upon a number of factors. Its level decreases when the reception of visual stimuli is limited. It may affect the choice of sports activities as well as overall performance. This study sought to assess the levels of selected static balance indices in visually impaired goalball players. Competitors who took part in the goalball tournament of the 2012 London Paralympic Games were included in the study (M ¼ 42, F ¼ 23). The athletes were divided into groups taking into account tournament level, disability experience, training experience and training loads. Static balance was assessed using AMTI AccuSway stabilographic platform (ACS Model). The study participants performed the following tests: standing on both feet with eyes open and closed (30 s, single left-and right-leg stance with eyes open, single left-and right-leg stance with eyes closed (10 s). The significance of differences between groups in gender, disability experience, tournament level, training loads and starting class was assessed using Mann-Whitney U test. Significant differences were noted between competitors from teams participating in the preliminary and final rounds and between competitors with training experience of up to and above 10 years. Players participating in the final phase presented a higher level of static balance, but those with longer training experience lower than less experienced athletes. No significant differences were observed in the levels of the analysed variables between males and females and within starting classes. The study revealed the significance of static balance in achieving sporting excellence in goalball.

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to examine game efficiency of elite wheelchair rugby players in consideration of International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) classification during the 2008 Paralympic Games played according to the old wheelchair rugby rules. Basic procedures. A group of 77 athletes representing 8 national teams participated in the study. Each team played 5 games for 32 min each. Athletes who played for more than 8 min in total at the 2008 Paralympics qualified for the study. The seven IWRF player point classes were collapsed into four groups. The game efficiency analysis was based on the IWRF Statistical Reports. The following six game efficiency parameters were analyzed: played time (T), sum of all points scored (PT), assist passes (AS), assist blocks (AB), turnovers (TO) and steals (ST). Main findings. The major finding of the study was that most differences in PT, AS, AB, TO and ST were found among all the examined groups (I-IV), except groups I and II. The played time (T) was not sensitive enough to identify significant differences among all the groups. This indicates that played time in the context of substitutions limited by classification point requirements does not reflect the differences between player classes. Conclusions. Generally, there was a tendency for highpoint class players to perform better. The study findings point to the importance of analysis of game efficiency of elite wheelchair rugby players with regard to their IWRF classification during tournaments played according to the new wheelchair rugby rules.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bilateral coordination in children and adolescents with visual impairments aged 7 to 18 years in comparison to their sighted peers. An additional objective was to identify the influence of sex and age on bilateral coordination. Seventy-five individuals with congenital severe visual impairment (40 girls and 35 boys) comprised the visually impaired group. The Sighted group comprised 139 youth without visual impairment. Subtest 4 of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency was administered to test bilateral coordination. To analyze the effect of the independent variables in the results obtained in the Subtest 4, four linear regression models were applied according to group and sex. The results indicated that severe visual impairment and lack of visual sensation had a negative effect on the development of participants' bilateral coordination, which however did not depend on sex or age.

Introduction. Physical fitness affects motor and intellectual development. Having a wide range of motor skills makes it possible to learn about the surrounding world and expand one’s knowledge. In the case of persons with intellectual disabilities, mastering gross and fine motor skills is the core of their development and functioning in society. The aim of the study was to analyse the relationship between physical fitness, gross and fine motor skills, and the level of functioning in schoolchildren with intellectual disabilities. Material and methods. The study involved 62 subjects whose age ranged from 9 to 24 years. Due to the large size and homogeneity of the group, the results of 26 subjects were considered in the analysis: 12 girls and 14 boys with moderate intellectual disability. Physical disability as well as gross and fine motor skills were measured with the BOT-2, TGMD- 2, and Eurofit Special tests. The level of functioning in society was assessed with a specially designed ICF-based questionnaire. Results. The study showed that girls had better motor skills than boys; this was reflected in the participants’ level of functioning as girls displayed a higher level of functioning. Boys, despite better physical fitness, were ranked on a lower level of functioning. Conclusions. A relationship was found between gross and fine motor skills and the level of functioning, assessed with BOT-2 and TGMD-2. No relationship was found between physical fitness, assessed with Eurofit Special, and the level of functioning. Instead of using assessment tools for general fitness, one should measure specific motor skills when assessing physical and motor development in children with intellectual disabilities.