RSBC Unseen | VI Sports Classifications | S.05 E.01

We sat down with elite Goalball player Alex Ulysses to hear about sight level classification in VI sports. She explains the differences between levels and how players are classified at competitions. We discuss how the process impacts on players.

Transcript

Juliette Parfitt 

Hi and welcome to the RSBC unseen podcast. My name is Juliette and I work here at RSBC today. I'm joined by Alex, who plays goalball. Alex, do you want to tell us a bit about yourself and what you get up to?

Alex U  

Yes. So Hello, I'm Alex. I'm 22 years old, and I live in London. I'm on the High Performance Pathway for Goalball UK and I'm on the GB Women's Goalball squad.

Juliette Parfitt  

How long have you playing goalball for? 

Alex U  

For about six years now. Yeah, six years gone June, pretty much. So nearly seven next year. Long time, long time.

Juliette Parfitt 

So today, Alex is going to be talking to us about different categorisations of sight levels in blind or partially sports and the impact that has on the players. So Alex, can you explain a little bit about the different categories and sight levels in VI sports? 

Alex U 

Yes. So we have a classification system that we don't really use nationally, but we do internationally. So it varies between b1 and b4. So b1 is where some players don't have a lot of like useful vision, so it might be just shadow vision, or, like light perception. That's pretty much all they have. Or they've got no useful vision at all. And then we've got b2, our b2 is a very, very complicated one, because, again, there's like so in the classification, it goes down specifically where you're a low b2 or a mid b2 or a high b2 and it's the same with obviously b1 and b3 and b4. So b2 is like one of those wide ones where you're close to a b1 but you still have a little bit of useful vision. And I can't remember the visual acuities for this, pretty much b2 have a little bit of useful vision. They might not be able to see like distance, or maybe like be able to give details. 

Alex U 

So for example, an example of goalball on a goalball court. You might be standing at your goal, and you might not be able to see past the team area line, for example, or you might not be able to see past the halfway line. And then b2 like pretty much a high b2 which I've been recently classified as, is pretty much having a lot of useful vision. So it's close to, like A, b3, so I'm on like a borderline b2, b3, so I have a lot of useful vision, where I probably what people can see at 60 metres, I can only see it, say, one metre out of one eye, and then I can see out of two metres, in comparison to 60 metres in the other eye. So I'll be able to see down the court, but I can't see it. Make out who is down the other end of court, what their number playing show is and what they look like. I can just just about see figures, but I can see like everything else around me, for example, like the team area line in front of me, high ball line, and my wing line, or my centre line, as I'm positioned as a centre player. And then a B3, I believe, has a visual acuity of 360 or 660 I can't remember one of the two. I know b4 is definitely 660 and above, and b3 is 660 below. So, yeah, a lot of vision like, it's a it's a wide spectrum. It's hard to, pretty much be able to describe what b1 to b4 are, but b4 are like partially sighted people. So sadly, internationally, B4 can't classify due to them being deemed as too sighted, but then being deemed blind, to not play in Olympic sport or any other sport, pretty much.

Juliette Parfitt 

So they can't compete in either

Alex U 

In either. No, I'm not sure what the rules are for partial sighted football. I don't know if b4 is like, I've I've heard people say that B4 are allowed to be a goalkeeper, but I don't know how true that is, because I don't play partially sighted football. So it's just like, one of those things are different for each sport. And then actually, the categories are named differently for ball sport, is how I phrase it. And athletics, for example, I think it's like they class it as T 11, T 12, maybe T 13. And then for swimming, it's s, so s 11, s 12 or 13. I think it is and again, 

Juliette Parfitt 

Just to make it even more simple 

Alex U 

Yeah, so you have to technically convert all that into like B, because as internationally, they refer you as b1, b2, b3, but I don't know what it is. Again, for swimming internationally, I don't know if they convert it or if they keep it the same. I think I've seen the Paralympics. They do keep it as S 11 and S 12, maybe. But don't quote me on that

Juliette Parfitt  

But it's hard as well, because a lot of like we all know, like a lot of blind and partially sighted people, your vision level, but then how you manage it and how you use it practically like really differs. So, like, if someone's a b2, or a b3, they might like, if you take 2 b two's with the exact same level of vision, they might still practically interact. That or use that like, completely differently, yeah, to like, categorise it in sports where you are going to use it.

Alex U  

Yeah, exactly. I think it's like for like, for example, where you've used the b2 is, a b2 for example, could be better in the daytime, where there's a lot of daylight and they don't take that into consideration when they're testing you. Or the other b2, can be better in the dark because they're a lot more sensitive to light, for example. So it's one of those hard things that they don't take that into consideration. And they really mainly test us, not on what we can see, like, just figure wise, it's mainly like so they test us with a letter E, and the E needs to face certain different directions, so that you could be facing upwards, downwards, left or right, the normal way, right, and you have to tell them what way it's facing, whereas that's not really realistic to obviously play in sport, because at the end of the day, we've got eye patches on and blindfolds, so we're not really going to be reading on the other end of the court, unless we're cheating, obviously. 

Alex U  

So it's one of those things is like they're testing us, but we're wearing blackout eye shades to make it equal. And these eyeshades are not designed by players. They're designed by a company, pretty much. So either way, unless those players are pricking holes in their eye shades, that's why we have refs to check the eye shades. Is at the end of the day, everyone's sight varies. Like when I got classified, it was really bright in the room, and I was struggling. And that's why I kind of think it's down to like, obviously, like the brightness in the room, like I could have, yeah, so they were debating, and, like, I was sitting in the classification room when I was in Finland, and they were deciding for about five or six minutes whether they were going to put me on a b2 or a b3 and I was just like, just give me an answer. And then when they said b2 I was quite surprised. But then when I look back on it, I'm not really that surprised anymore, because it was quite bright in the room, and I was like squinting, but trying not to squint, because it looked like I was trying to see. And that's, yeah, one of those things where you've got to be careful, because either way, they're going to be testing you what you can see letter wise, what way it's facing, and, yeah, it's one of those things.

Juliette Parfitt  

So talk me through how the categorization process work then

Alex U 

So when we go to get classified, we have to get a medical diagnosis form. So we kind of have to go into so we went for us as goalball athletes, we went into the London clinic, think it's called, so obviously, we already had our diagnosis. We already know what our eye conditions are. Because not really going to go into a sport and be like, I don't know what my eye condition is. Yeah, yeah. This is what I can and can't see, unless you are new to a sport, and you're pretty much new to, like, recently getting blind, and that's understandable, but for me, I was born with my eye condition, so they were quite understanding and aware that I was very sensitive to bright light. So I have Aniridia, so I have no Iris, so anything that shines into my eyes, they go straight through to the back of the eyes, and I'm quite sensitive, yeah. So every time I go to the doctors and they shine a bright light in my eye, I'm like, and they try and tell me to open up my other eye, and I can't, but yeah, so they were quite understanding we did, like, visual field tests. They did like, again, like seeing how far the letter was, and seeing what we can see, like, a, b, and all those eye tests that they do. 

Alex U 

And normally in the hospital, where you've got the big H at the top and then letter chart, yeah, that's it. But they didn't use that. They actually just used a black screen with bold font on there, and just tested us that way. And then they took pictures of eyes so there was proof of, like, obviously, if there was anything wrong with, like, visual pathways or anything, yeah, pretty much. And then we take that, everything that they've written down medically, and then we'd take that back to our national governing body, and then they send that off, pretty much, to, I think, IBSA. And then, obviously, when we go to then get classified internationally. They have that document there. And we also take a paper form anyway, because apparently there is a lot of problems with their computers, and sometimes they're in 2025 Yeah, exactly. And their systems are always down. So it's always good to have a paper form, and we always bring that.

Juliette Parfitt  

Can you explain who IBSA is? For people that don't know.

Alex U 

Yeah, so IBSA is the International Blind Sports Association, so they're in charge of all the sports in the blind community. So you've got, obviously, blind football, swimming, goalball, archery, for example. I don't know what archery is for classification, all sorts, pretty much. So yeah, they're in charge of judo. I forgot judo. So yeah, they're in charge of all international blind and visually impaired sports. And yeah, they pretty much say who qualifies for what event, and obviously decides about the classification as well, I believe. But I think it's either IBSA or the Paralympic Committee. That decide. So IPC International Paralympic Committee, they decide what classification is allowed in what sport, pretty much. 

Juliette Parfitt  

Cool. So you go to, like, your medical clinic and get all that stuff done. Is that kind of like the first step in getting categorised, and then it's like you get re-categorised every time you go to compete somewhere

Alex U  

Yeah. So you'll get, obviously, your testing and nationally. We actually have a British blind sport classifier, so they classify those that need to classify and nationally, obviously in the UK. So you could get one classification obviously from BBS, for example, in the UK. But then when you go internationally, it might be different. So I'm not sure if the testings are different. 

Alex U  

For that, I personally haven't been classified by British Blind Sport. But yeah, I've heard some people have gone to get their national classification. But then go internationally and they, for example, come out as a b4, instead of a b3, or they've been classified as a b4 in with BBS, but then they could be classified as a b3, or a b2 so it's crazy. It is because then you're, like, getting missed, like, lead of like, the information you been given. So you're either a b3 or you'll be four or b2 or you're a b1, or a b2, or b3 for example, like, you just need to know answer. So that is going to be the same. You're going to have to do the same tests nationally to be able to do the same ones internationally. So, but I personally haven't had that experience, so I don't know how they do the tests in there.

Juliette Parfitt  

That makes sense. So, yeah. So you when you get classified, like, at a competition, yeah. How does that work?

Alex U  

So internationally, you pretty much so you arrive a few days before you compete, and depending on when your schedule is, you could have, for example, your testing done in the morning, in the afternoon or in the evening. Luckily, all of us had our classifications all on the same day. The men went first and the women went afterwards. And so actually our classifications times actually got brought forward because they were actually doing it quite quickly, surprisingly, because when I got my first classification done back in 2022 at the European ParaYouth Games, it was quite long, so a bit delayed, but yeah, pretty, pretty much you. So for example, for me, I had like, an afternoon slot, so I was sitting around in my room for quite a while, bored out my mind. So I was like to my roommate, can we just go for a walk? Let's just go for a walk. So we walked around while a couple of my teammates were getting classified and and then when we got back and the boys had finished their classification, so I played Jenga with them and stuff, and then it was time for me to pretty much go. 

Alex U  

So walked down, had to, like, pretty much like, emphasise that I'm using my cane and like, they were like, so as soon as you step into the room, they'll test you. So the moment you walk to that door and you start to walk in, they'll test you from there. So like, can you sit on the chair? And in my head, I'm like, Okay, this is my first test. You're gonna test me to try and find a chair. If I see a chair, I'm gonna walk straight to it. But then I, like, searched around the room and saw there was, like, three chairs. I was like, watch it. And so we had a member of staff and he guided us to the seat that I needed to be on. So that was quite good. And so, yeah, sat down, and then they had a tape measure on the floor. I can't remember if it was in inches or metres, or whatever it was. Like they would just say numbers. I just heard numbers every time I said what way the E was facing. And so you sit down, and the key thing is to not lean forwards, because if you're leaning forwards, then you're obviously trying to look. So if you're obviously at a desk and try and look at your computer screen, you're trying to see what's on there, you're going to obviously lean forwards, because that's natural for us to do. 

Alex U  

So our thing was like to lean back, not lean back, but just make sure our posture was right, and just staying the same. Because if we're slowly inching forwards, it's gonna and they're moving backwards, for example, then it's gonna get better and better, because they're gonna try and force us to try and see it, and then we might have to guess. So yeah, we sat back with our backs against the back of the chair, and then they start testing us from there. So yeah, pretty much I did, told them what way I was, the E was facing, and if I couldn't see I was like, I can't tell what way it is. It's just blurry. It's just a blob. It's a black blob. Like, can you try and see it? Though? Can Are you able to try and see it? And I'm like, No, I can't, like, I can't see it. Okay, that's fine. And then they do, like, certain movements. And it's one of those things where they try and catch you out by making it sound like you're there, moving with the paper, but they're not. It might just outstretch their 

Juliette Parfitt 

That's a really strange process, because the first thing they're doing is it goes against, like, a lot of, like, vision impaired persons, like, natural instincts to kind of adapt, right? So I'm going to bring this closer, I'm going to squint harder, I'm going to ask this person to help me, or I'm going to do it like, it already kind of starts you off on edge, and then you sit down and you're like, it's weird that they want to, like, catch people out. Like, obviously they have to be fair, and they don't, yeah, they want people to be categorised accurately, especially for sports that are not played, like, with shades, right? So I get it to an extent, but it is a bit like, it's a weird and I like, do you think some, some athletes and players find it a little bit, like, stressful and traumatic. Because, you know what? It reminds me of a little bit of, like, things I hear about, like, people going for PIP assessments and, oh yeah, feeling like, I'm sure it's not exactly the same. But like, Do you think maybe, like, yeah, are there people that get really stressed out by it?

Alex U  

Yeah, it could be, especially for your first like classification, like test in it. It can be quite daunting. Because, like, luckily we got told, like, especially before I went to the ParaYouth Games, that they will force you to try and obviously see, and don't feel like you have to try and see it, just do what you naturally feel like in the moment that you can see and don't try and guess. So I was thankful in that front that I had that because otherwise I would, like, when I was younger, a lot younger, I'd try and, like, be like, I can see this, yeah, kind of thing

Juliette Parfitt  

We kind off mask, and we compensate, right?

Alex U  

Yeah, exactly. 

Juliette Parfitt  

So you're like, Oh no, I'll try and do this thing to make it so that I can adapt this. 

Alex U  

Yeah, exactly. 

Juliette Parfitt  

Sort of the opposite point

Alex U 

Yeah, exactly. So, like, I grew up, like, knowing the shapes of what the letters looks like, so I'd be like, that's an A, or that's an E, yeah, that's like, I could just about tell between, like, an E and an F, for example, but it's like, and the G and an O for example, or maybe a P and A D for example. Like, I just about make out what it is by the shape, but I wouldn't be certain on it. Yeah, so if they did that, and I didn't, obviously, I went into the classification being like, Okay, I'm gonna try and see, because I want to classify as b3 but then what does a b3 kind of like, classify as And I didn't know that at that point, so I didn't really know what the classification thing was. So I would probably, like, lean forwards, and I'll try and squint and I'll try and see and be like, Oh, I'll try and see this. So, just so I can be like, I'm a b3 but then it might turn out that, no, I'm either non classifiable, or I'm a b4 or a b5 for example, B5 aren't really a thing, apparently, but it is nationally, which I don't I don't know what a b5 is, but they're like, partially sighted, but sighted, I guess. I don't know

Juliette Parfitt  

But so here's my question, then, why do they categorise for a sport? Like, let's just take goalball, because I think it's quite unique in that it is, everybody is blindfolded, and that's the expectation going in. There aren't levels. It's like, you know, like football, there's blind football. Partially, you don't have that for goal so why, even categorise like, obviously, you want all players to be VI because it's not a game for sighted people. You know, they've got, they've got their own sports. They don't, yeah, they don't need ours. So I get that to some extent. But like, you're all shaded like, so why, other than the bare minimum of asking for like, not like, medical records. But, you know, like being like, can you prove that you are registered visually impaired, like, for the UK, have you got a certificate of visual impairment? Yeah, why do they need more than that? Why is that not enough?

Alex U  

I think it's probably, again, it's quite hard, because obviously, yeah, Goalball is, like, a unique sport, so it's one of those where we have to be blindfolded. And, whereas, obviously, like you mentioned, partially sighted football, they all have B2 to B3, for example, whereas blind football have B1. But then goalball has all three levels. And I think you have to be classified, just because, if you're like, for example, partially sighted, but you can see a lot down the other end of the court, you can cheat. And there has been, over time that players have cheated where they for example, if you just have eye shades and not patches, then you can position your eye shades in a certain way to the point where you can actually look so basically, our eye shades that we wear, we have foam padding, and there's like a little gap where our eyes don't fit in, but it's like a quick it's a big gap, kind of where our eyes pretty much go in, so it's not covered by the foam and stuff, and we don't, our eyes don't get irritated or rubbed against the foam, and then we've got, like, a beak, like, it kind of looks like a penguin, um. When you put them on, you look like a penguin. And yeah, so the beat covers and those, and it's protective. And because that beak is quite big on some eye shades, it's there's like a little gap. So if you position your eyeshade to the point where maybe the foams on your eye, or you move the shade to your left, your right, and so you can see out through your right eye, you can peek through the little beak. 

Alex U  

And you can tell when people are cheating sometimes, because the way they move their head up or down, you can see that they're kind of cheating on court. They're trying to see where the ball is. So that's probably why that they try and they want to keep it like obviously fair and having be ones to be freezing in such a unique sport. But then how are they going to protect those that are pretty much b1 facing against b3 because then they can cheat. It's like they can use their vision to cheat, whereas b1 might not be even able to do that. So then I think that's where the patches then come in, where we have to put patches on our faces to cover up the eyes, make sure that's all covered, and then put our eyeshades on. And again, you can again cheat with the patches. For example, because if you put cream on your face, I like to moisturise my face. So when I started, like getting patched, I was realising this is coming off really quickly. So internationally, if you put like, cream on your face, or, for example, Vaseline on your face, the patches aren't going to stick down, or the sello tape is not going to sit down either. So then there's never create a little bit of a gap where you can peek through. And then, obviously, if you put your eye shades on the wrong position, and you can still peek through and then cheat that way as well.

Juliette Parfitt 

Who knew, that is what's going on in the goalball community

Alex U 

Honestly, it happens a lot of the sports. And you're like, don't know why you want to cheat to be honest exactly you're not gonna progress either way, and you're gonna get caught out, and you're not gonna be able to play anymore, and you might get banned. Like, who knows? I've never heard anyone like, got banned before but

Juliette Parfitt  

It always seems like not worth the hassle. So, just play and Have a nice game. 

Alex U  

No, exactly 

Juliette Parfitt  

Cool. Thanks, Alex for coming and chatting to me about that and all the unexpected controversy around categorisation, I wasn't expecting that. 

Juliette Parfitt  

What have you got coming up in 2026 goalball wise?

Alex U  

we've got a few international competitions, so the Malmo Lady Inter Cup, the Berlin Nations Cup, but our major one is the World Championships in China.

Juliette Parfitt  

Oh, wow, well, goodluck to all that and hope it goes well 

Alex U  

thank you.