Austria is the latest country to join the IBSA Football family with a thriving programme aimed at partially sighted (B2/B3) players.

Matias Costa reports from Vienna on progress:

About a year ago Austria started developing football for partially sighted players classes B2 and B3. What started out with a few players from the country's capital city Vienna was crowned on Saturday December 28th last during the 1st Austria Player's Cup when 21 athletes from 5 out of 9 regions of the country gathered in the capital for the first official Futsal B2/B3 competition.

The competition format allowed players from all over Austria to attend the tournament without having any affiliation to any club as there is currently only one regular training opportunity available in Vienna.
 
The players that had submitted entry forms were drawn into three teams, each with different sets of uniforms, and competed in a round robin tournament. The winner was Austria's Futsal B2/B3 Program!

We are now expecting to develop new teams and players in all regions of the country and soon get a local league running. On an international level Austria is looking to make its international debut as well as to host a Futsal B2/B3 event in Vienna in 2014.

To view pictures of the Player s Cup visit our gallery: 
http://blindensport.at/content/site/bildergalerie/gallery/39.html.

You can find more Information on B2/B3 football in Austria at http://mehralsfussball.at.