Spectacular but still little-known sport, torball was highlighted on Saturday, April 25th, at the Albert Malatesta sports complex in Nice. For its 16th edition, the international tournament organized by ANICES brought together several European teams around a shared passion: a demanding, strategic parasport that offers many benefits to its participants.
Nice, Turin, Mons, Zurich, Teramo, Hasselt… Eight European teams competed in the international torball tournament organized in Nice. In the stands, spectators discover a discipline where every movement is guided by sound.
Everyone on equal footing
In the gymnasium of the Albert Malatesta sports complex, the silence is almost complete. Several signs on the bleachers urge the audience to stay quiet. This is essential: in torball, everything is played by ear.
This parasport is practiced by individuals who are visually impaired or able-bodied, wearing opaque glasses to ensure equality among all. On the field, two teams of three players compete by rolling a sound ball, containing a bell, under three strings stretched across the middle of the field. The aim is simple: to send the ball low to the ground to cross the opponent’s goal line, while the defenders dive fully to intercept the shot.
Each action takes place in cathedral-like silence. The players listen intently, detect the bell’s sound, and anticipate its trajectory. Once a goal is scored, the room erupts into enthusiastic applause.
A discipline that brings people together…
As the Turin team scores a sixth goal against Zurich, Sébastien Filippini watches the match closely. A player for the Nice 2 team and founder of ANICES in 2007, he has been advocating for years to boost torball’s visibility. “The sport’s reach relies on communication. That’s why we’re trying to multiply initiatives to promote this sport. This year, for example, we placed advertisements in Nice’s tram to announce the tournament. The idea is to attract the curious, to demonstrate that parasport can be spectacular and accessible to the public,” he explains.
For the players, these competitions also serve as a moment of reunion and sharing. “We’re especially happy to be together, to play with friends, and to compete against European teams. It creates a special atmosphere and builds excitement before the matches,” smiles Cédric Bouchet, a player for Nice 2. “When we see teams from Italy, Belgium, or Switzerland, we’re motivated to surpass ourselves.”
On the bench, emotions run just as high. Coach of the Nice 1 team, Christelle Gilles follows each action attentively. “As a coach, you experience everything from the outside but with great intensity. We analyze positions, try to reassure players, encourage them,” she confides.
… and helps in daily life
Beyond the competitive aspect, torball also plays a significant role in the daily lives of its practitioners. Souleymane Jedani, a player for the Nice 1 team, directly measures the benefits. “Playing this sport helps a lot with spatial orientation. We learn to listen differently, anticipate movements, and use the surroundings as reference points,” he explains.
According to him, the reflexes developed on the field can also be useful in everyday life. “We work on orientation, perception of distances, and self-confidence. These are things that can really help in daily life, not just in sports.”
ANICES 2 on the brink of glory
As for results, the ANICES 1 team, composed of Bernard, Cédric, François, and Soulaymane, had a mixed tournament. They lost to Mons (2-4), Turin (0-2), Teramo (1-8), and ANICES 2 (1-3), but defeated Hasselt (4-3) and Zurich (5-0). In the classification match, they ended on a positive note with a victory against Hasselt (2-1).
Meanwhile, ANICES 2, led by Mikael, Philippe, Sébastien, and Yacine, had a very strong performance. The team started with a draw against Turin (2-2), before succumbing to Hasselt (2-4), Teramo (2-3), and Mons (0-3). They bounced back with wins against ANICES 1 (3-1) and Zurich (5-1). In the final stage, ANICES 2 won in the semi-finals against Teramo (4-3) before losing in the final to Mons by the narrowest of margins (1-2).
Final ranking:
1: Mons
2: ANICES 2
3: Turin
4: Teramo
5: ANICES 1
6: Hasselt
7: Zurich.
