CP football

Cerebal palsy football, also called 7-a-side football or Paralympic football, is an adaptation of association football for athletes with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders, including stroke and traumatic brain injury. From 1978 to 2014, cerebral palsy football was governed by the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA). In January 2015, governance of the sport was taken over by the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football.

The sport is played with modified FIFA rules. Among the modifications are a reduced field of play, a reduction in the number of players, elimination of the offside rule, and permission for one-handed throw-ins. Matches consist of two thirty-minute halves, with a fifteen-minute half-time break. Teams must field at least one class C5 or C6 player at all times. No more than one players of class C8 are permitted to play at the same time.

International competition in 7-a-side football began at the 1978 CP-ISRA International Games in Edinburgh, Scotland. The sport was added to the Summer Paralympic Games at the 1984 Summer Paralympics in New York City, U.S., and has been played at every Summer Games since.

Governance

From 1978 to 2014, cerebral palsy football was governed by the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA). In January 2015, governance of the sport was taken over by the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football.^[1]

Different organizations govern the sport on a national level. In Australia, the sport is governed by Football Federation Australia, with the sport also having state governing bodies in the country For New South Wales, this is Cerebral Palsy Sporting and Recreation Association NSW. In Queensland, it is Football Queensland. The sport is overseen by Football Federation South Australia in South Australia In Victoria, it is run by Disability Sport and Recreation. In Western Australia, the sport is governed by Football West. In the Australian Capital Territory, the sport is governed by Capital Football. In Tasmania, the sport is run by Disability Sport and Recreation.^[2]

Rule modifications

While CP football generally follows many of the rules of association football, the sport includes a few modifications.^[3][4] These rules include a lack of an offside rule, and players being allowed to throw in the ball using only one hand.^[4][3][2] Throw-ins can be done using an underhand technique.^[5]

The game is also shorter, featuring two 30-minute halves with a 15-minute halftime break.^[4][3][2][6] It also includes only 7 players on the field for each team during play.^[3][2] The goal and the field are also smaller than the non-disability association football game.^[3][2][6] The field is 75 meters by 55 meters.^[5]

In tournament competition, playoff and finals games that end in a draw following regulation time have extra time added. This extra time consists of two 10-minute periods, where the first goal scored wins the game. If there is still a draw following those 20 minutes of play, a penalty shoot out takes place. 5 players from each time attempt to score from the place where penalty kicks take place. The team with the most goals following 5 shots each wins.^[4]

Classification

Four classes participate in the sport.^[4] These classes are FT5, FT6, FT7 and FT8.^[3][2][6] The type of disability for each class is:

• FT5: Athletes with difficulties when walking and running, but not in standing or when kicking the ball.^[2][6]
• FT6: Athletes with control and co-ordination problems of their upper limbs, especially when running.^[2][6]
• FT7: Athletes with hemiplegia.^[2][6]
• FT8: Minimally disabled athletes; they must meet eligibility criteria and have an obvious impairment that has impact on the sport of football.^[2][3][6]

Originally, classification for the sport was only open to people with cerebral palsy, but the classification system as later changed. This opened up the sport to people with brain injuries and other motor function disorders with functional participation similar to that of people with cerebral palsy.^[2][5][6]

Teams must field at least one class C5 or C6 player at all times. No more than one players of class C8 are permitted to play at the same time.^[5]

Competition

The sport has several major competitions. These include the Parapan American Games and the CPISRA/IFCPF Football-7-A-Side World Championships.^[4] The first CPISRA World Championships took place in Denmark in 1982, four years after the first international competition for the sport took place in Scotland at the Cerebral Palsy International Games.^[6]

7-a-side football was also played at the Paralympic Games, making its debut at the 1984 Summer Paralympics.^{[3][2][5][6][7]} It was dropped from the Paralympic program for the 2020 Summer Paralympics.^[3]

Results

European Championships

Year	Host		Winner	Score	Runner-up		Third place	Score	Fourth place		Number of teams
2006 Details	Dublin		Ukraine	5–2	Russia		Netherlands	2–1	Ireland		8
2010 Details	Glasgow		Ukraine	1–1 (a.e.t.) (9–8p)	Russia		Ireland	2–0	Netherlands		10
2014 Details	Maia		Ukraine	3–0	Netherlands		Russia	3–0	Ireland		11
2018 Details	not forgiven

• a.e.t.: after extra time
• p: after penalty shoot-out

World Championships and international Cups

Year	Host		Winner	Score	Runner-up		Third place	Score	Fourth place		Number of teams
1982 Details	Greve		Ireland		Netherlands		Belgium	no information available1
1986 Details	Hooglede		Netherlands		Belgium		Ireland	no information available1
1990 Details	Assen		Netherlands		Ireland		Belgium	no information available1
1994 Details	Dublin		Netherlands		Ireland		Belgium	no information available1
1998 Details	Rio de Janeiro		Russia		Ukraine		Brazil	no information available1
2003 Details	Buenos Aires		Ukraine		Brazil		Russia	no information available1
2007 Details	Rio de Janeiro		Russia	2–1	Iran		Ukraine	2–0	Brazil		16
2009 Details	Arnhem (Cup)		Ukraine	0–0 (a.e.t.) (9–8 p.)	Russia		Iran	1–0	Brazil		12
2011 Details	Assen, Emmen, Hoogeveen		Russia	6–1	Iran		Ukraine	8–3	Brazil		16
2013 Details	Sant Cugat del Vallès (Cup)		Ukraine	1–0	Brazil		Russia	4–0	Ireland		16
2015 Details	Burton-upon-Trent		Russia	1–0	Ukraine		Brazil	6–0	Netherlands		16
2017 Details	San Luis

1 = There is no information on the homepage of the IFCPF

• a.e.t.: after extra time
• p: after penalty shoot-out

Summer-Paralympics

Year	Host		Winner	Score	Runner-up		Third place	Score	Fourth place		Number of teams
1984 Details	Stoke Mandeville		Belgium	1–0	Ireland		Great Britain	3–1	Portugal		6
1988 Details	Seoul		Netherlands	1	Belgium		Ireland	1	South Korea		5
1992 Details	Barcelona		Netherlands	3–2	Portugal		Ireland	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Great Britain		8
1996 Details	Atlanta		Netherlands	1–0	Russia		Spain	2–1	Great Britain		8
2000 Details	Sydney		Russia	3–2	Ukraine		Brazil	2–1	Portugal		8
2004 Details	Athen		Ukraine	4–1	Brazil		Russia	5–0	Argentina		8
2008 Details	Peking		Ukraine	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Russia		Iran	4–0	Brazil		8
2012 Details	London		Russia	1–0	Ukraine		Iran	5–0	Brazil		8
2016 Details	Rio de Janeiro		Ukraine	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Iran		Brazil	3–1	Netherlands		8
2020 Details	Tokyo		tournament is not discharged[8]
2024 Details	not forgiven

1 = The tournament was played in a group mode.

• a.e.t.: after extra time
• p: after penalty shoot-out

References