You are invited to participate in this process.

Schedule for the rule process:

March 1st to April 30th – period for rule change proposals.

Proposals are to be sent to an [email protected].

Request to member countries, federations and individuals to send proposals and comments upon existing rules and what they like for the coming period e.g. rule number, proposed new formulation and commenting/explanation.

Comment and changes for Tournament Regulations (part B) and Referee’s Program (part C) as well.

It is of course free to continue to send in proposals for everyone after this period, but note that if you send in early your proposal have more time and chance to be included in the total overview.

Proposals are to be sent to an [email protected].

May 2012.

The rule coordinator summarizes incoming proposals. The outcome after this period is a first draft proposal that the committee presents. The draft will include those changes that the committee think could be workable to process further. The rule draft that will be presented on the website and sent out as “First draft for new rules 2014 – 2017.

June 1st – August 15th.

Period for member countries in IBSA to send in their official comments upon the draft rules. At this stage in the process we put extra focus on structured comments from member countries. By getting official answers we can see that the comments have been processed and that each member country takes their responsibility to push the sport forward. At the same time IBSA.

Athletes and referees represents will do the same overview of the draft.

August 15th – Paralympics in London.

Rules coordinator summarizes incoming feedback upon the draft rules. The committee presents an updated proposed draft rule program to be used during the test tournament period. The committee also announces which of the draft rules that will get specific evaluation during the test tournament.

Open meeting at London Paralympics 2012.

The committee has a meeting with involved persons in Goalball presenting the finalization plan for the new rules:

– New or changed proposed rules that will be specific evaluated through test tournaments.

– Rules that is proposed to be either cancelled or be changed, but that will not be used during in the test tournaments.

– Officially announce dates and places for test tournaments and how the rules  will be evaluated and collecting feedback.

– How countries and individuals can send in complementary feedback.

Note: the rules used during test tournaments will of course be of such dignity that if they work well they are also realistic to implement in the new rules. An experience is that you can’t test too many new rules at the same time meaning that special focus will go to those rules that really have to be tested before we can decide whether they are good or not in combination with all rules for the game.

October 1st 2012 – January 31st 2013.

Test tournament period and evaluation of proposed rule changes in “sharp mode”.

The Pajulahti tournament in Finland in January 2013 has confirmed the possibility for test. Other test tournament candidates are welcomed. Incoming feedback at this stage shall be based on real tests, giving experience of using the proposed rules in practice. 

February 2013 – IBSA General Assembly.

Rules coordinator summarizes incoming feedback of evaluation tournaments and complimentary feedback. A The committee takes the final decision for the new rules 2014-2017 that will be sent to IBSA and further to the IBSA General Assembly for ratification.

May – September 2013.

Up-dating the documentation of Tournament Regulations (part B) and Referee’s Program (part C), new referee, ITO and tournament handbooks.

September – 31 December 2013.

Referee, TD and ITO trainings (level III referees courses, regional courses).

1.1.2014, new rules come into force.