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Floorball is a type of floor hockey developed in the 1970s in Sweden, and is most popular in Nordic countries. It can be considered an indoor non-ice version of Ice Hockey, played on the feet not skates. It is also known as Uni-Hockey, Salibandy, or Innebandy.
Floorball is an indoor sport played by both men and women. It is played by a team consisting of five field players and a goalkeeper. The matches of this sport are played in three periods with twenty minutes per period. The filed is like an ice hockey rink, the goals are inset and the players may play behind the goals, and bounce the ball off the walls surrounding the field.
Players hold an 80-100cm long hockey-like stick to hit a lightweight plastic ball with holes (similar to a whiffleball). Players are also allowed to wear shin guards, protective padding and eye protectors during the game to avoid injury.
It is a non-contact sport. No stick checking, lifting, locking, or slashing is allowed. There is no body contact with the exception of incidental shoulder contact. Only the goalie can use their hands to catch or handle the ball. Foot passes to another player are allowed, but players may not do so twice in a row. The ball cannot be played above the waist.
floorball game
Floorball is organized internationally by the International Floorball Federation (IFF). There is a men and women's World Floorball Championships held every two years. Another major competition is the Euro Floorball Cup for club teams.
Similar Sports
- Floor Hockey — refers to a collection of indoor hockey sports that were derived from various hockey codes, which includes floorball.
- Indoor Field Hockey — an indoor team sport that was derived from field hockey.
- Broomball — a game like ice hockey played with a broom and no skates. Also the similar Moscow Broomball.
- Ball Hockey — very similar to ice hockey, though played on foot and on a non-ice surface.
- Spongee — outdoor non-contact sport played on an ice rink in rubber boots with a sponge puck instead of a hard puck like in ice hockey.
- Roller Hockey — includes Rink Hockey (also called Quad Hockey) and Inline Hockey.
- Ball Hockey — a variation of Ice Hockey, a lot like Street Hockey, in which the game is played on foot on a non-ice surface, and a ball is used instead of a hockey puck.
- Indoor Field Hockey — an indoor team sport that was derived from Field Hockey
Related Pages
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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