1. GENERAL RULES

1.1 The current FITA (Federation International de Tir a’ L’ Arc) rules shall apply in all cases, except where additions and modifications shall be specified below.

1.2 The following instructions will be applied by all national IBSA-member associations for all official competitions.

1.3 Affiliation to IBSA by a national association for sports for the blind binds the association to read, apply and follow the present rules and general IBSA rules and policies.

1.4 IBSA is the only organization entitled to make any amendments whatsoever to the present IBSA specific rules on archery.

1.5 Interpretation

1.5.1 Should there be any misunderstanding of the IBSA Rules; the English language version shall prevail.

1.5.2 If there is any dispute to a rule interpretation, the matter shall be referred to the IBSA Archery Technical Sub-Committee for resolution.

2. ELIGIBILITY

2.1 Only nationals of the country of the national IBSA-member association submitting the entry are eligible to represent that association in Championships and shall be certified for the competition by the respective national association holding paid up membership in IBSA. 

2.2 In countries where the national IBSA-member association is not governed by blind people, any individual wishing to participate in a sanctioned competition must be formally nominated for certification by the recognized national organization of blind people that has been actively promoting competitive blind sports, unless special circumstances satisfactory to the IBSA Archery Technical Sub-Committee prevent that from happening.

2.3 If a country cannot agree on whether an organization should be regarded as a recognized national organization of blind people, or on the composition of its contingent to the championships, it should request the assistance of the IBSA Archery Technical Sub-Committee.

2.4 Eligible for competition shall be the IBSA classes B1, B2, B3 and VI Open as defined under Section 3, below. Archers, when entering for a championship will be required to submit a copy of their eyesight classifications. Failing to do so will result in disqualification from the championship. 

2.5 All archers may be required to be reclassified by International IBSA Classifiers at the championships even though they may have been classified previously. The only exception shall be those archers who have been given IBSA Permanent Medical Status. 

3. CLASSIFICATION

For Archery, a sport-specific classification of B1, B2 and B3 to be based solely on acuity. An additional “VI Open” competition class to be available for those who satisfy the general rules of IBSA classification by virtue of field-of-vision.

3.1 B1 no light perception in either eye, up to light perception. No recognition of hand movement at any distance or any direction.

3.2 B2 From ability to recognize the shape of a hand up to visual acuity of 2/60

3.3 B3 From visual acuity of above 2/60 up to visual acuity of 6/60

3.4 VI Open class. To include also those who satisfy IBSA general sight classification B2 or B3 based on field of vision (i.e. not greater than 20 degrees)

3.5 Classification shall be based on examination of both eyes, and on the best correction in the best eye. (I.e. All archers who use contact or corrective lenses must wear them for classification, whether they intend to compete wearing them or not. It is also irrelevant whether the archer is left or right handed.) 

3.6 Archers must face the target through alignment, aiming and release of the arrow.

4. MODIFICATIONS AND EQUIPMENT

Tactile sighting devices,

4 1 One method of tactile sighting device is adopted, physical contact. The point of contact may only be used as a point of reference.

4.2 A tactile sighting device must not act as a support, in any direction, to the bow, bow hand or arm or any part of the body.

4.3 There will only be one point of contact on the BACK of the bow hand, up to the elbow of the bow arm. This one contact point must not measure more than 2cms in any direction.

4.4 The tactile sighting device may touch upon any part of the back of the bow hand or arm but no part of it shall be further from the archer’s body than the bow hand when the bow is fully drawn.

4.5 The tactile sighting device must not be gripped, held or wedged between the fingers. It may only touch upon the back of the bow hand or arm.

4.6 The tactile sighting device must be capable of being adjusted by the archer without the archer moving from the shooting line.

5 BOW SIGHT. A BOW SIGHT ATTACHED TO THE RIDER OF THE BOW

5.1 A bow sight may incorporate prisms, lens, or other magnification device, enlarged sight ring/pin. These adaptations may be made to all bow types used by a recognized (within IBSA classifications) VI archer.

6 TACTILE SIGHT ADJUSTMENT

6.1 The spotter may only adjust the tactile sighting device during sighting arrows and between scoring ends.

6.2 The archer must be independent in adjusting the sighting device during the scoring ends, but must be able to do so without moving from the shooting line or interrupting the shooting line.

6.3 The spotter, in the case of markers or sighting device being disturbed by accident may make major adjustments. As an equipment failure, with the prior consent of an official.

7 AREA TAKEN UP BY TACTILE SIGHTING DEVICE AND FOOT LOCATORS

7.1 The sighting device/stand must not represent an obstacle to other competitors.

7.2 The total width of the stand/foot locators shall be no more than75 cms (29 .5 inches)

7.3 The maximum depth of the foot locators shall be no more 6 cms. (2.5 inches.)

7.4 There shall be a space of not less than 90 cms (35.5 inches) between each tactile stand (measured from the nearest point)

8 ALIGNMENT ON SHOOTING LINE

8.1 Each archer must align their sighting device on either side of the centre mark. No archer is allowed to set up his or her sighting device centrally. 

9 SPOTTERS LINE

9.1 There will be a marked line between the shooting line and the waiting line, 1metre behind the shooting line. 

10 APPROACHING THE TARGET

10.1 The archer may if he/she so wishes to, remain on the shooting line whilst the arrows are being scored.

10.2.1 Archers, who wish to remain on the shooting line, must pass their bow to their spotter on completion of each end of scoring arrows. The archer/spotter must then withdraw behind the waiting line. (To indicate to the judge that they have finished shooting).

10.2.2 The archer must not approach the target without his/her spotter He/she may do so only with the judge’s permission.

11 EQUIPMENT MUST CONFORM TO FITA RULES. (ART. 7.3.1.) EXCEPTING THOSE OF SIGHTING AIDS AND ADAPTATIONS IN THE IBSA VI INTERNATIONAL RULES 4 AND 5.

12 ROUNDS TO BE SHOT AT INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS.

12.1 Rounds for outdoors

12.2 VIIR1. (Vision impaired international round) Target set @ 30m 36 arrows @ 40cm face 36 arrows @ 60cm face 36 arrows @ 80cm face 36 arrows @ 122cm face. 

12.3 OR VIIR2 Target set @ 30m 36 arrows @ 60cm face 36 arrows @ 80cm face 36 arrows @ 80cm face 36 arrows @ 122cm face. 

12.4.1 Head to head. 12 arrows @ 80cm face.

12.4.2 Round for indoor 

12.4.3 VI18, 60 arrows @ 60cm face.

12.4.4 Head to head. 12 arrows @ 60cm face.

13 SHOOTING CATEGORIES. 

13.1 Tactile sighting device, all bow types.
    B1 Male 
    B1 Female 
    B2/3 Male
    B2/3 Female

13.2 All recognized shooting methods (tactile or bow sight) within FITA and IBSA rules)
    VI Open Male compound
                Male recurve
                Female compound
                Female recurve

8 categories.

13.3 Archers cannot change the sighting system or sight category for which they were selected or entered the competition.

14 SPOTTING

A VI archer shall be permitted to have a person acting as a spotter. A spotter is a person designated to assist a vision impaired archer.

14.1 The spotter can assist the VI archer to set up the sighting aid by adjusting it in any way, before and up to the whistle/buzzer which begins the competition.

14.2 The spotter will be responsible for checking and informing the VI archer of safety issues. 

14.3 The spotter must stand on the spotter’s line which is situated 1 metre behind the shooting line. 

14.4 Once the scoring arrows have begun; the spotter may only relate the strike of each arrow on the boss. No other information, (except safety warnings) may be given; this must be done in a quiet manner so as not to disturb fellow archers on the shooting line.

14.5. When the archer has a hearing impairment, the spotter may step forward to a closer proximity to the archer so that they can relate the strike of the arrow. The spotter must then immediately move back to the spotter’s line, until the strike of the next arrow, and so on. 

14.6 The spotter must not coach or give any advice on shooting, whilst the archer is on the shooting line, except during sighting ends, and between scoring ends. There will be no conversation between the archer and their spotter whilst they are between the waiting and shooting line. Breach of this rule could result in the archer being disqualified.

14.7 The archer must adjust their own sighting devices during scoring ends. Spotters may only adjust the sighting devices between scoring ends. (See rules of shooting)

14.8 When the archer has completed their scoring end, the spotter, with or without the archer, must stand behind the waiting line. 

14.9 If the archer wishes to remain on the shooting line, he/she must pass their bow to the spotter. This will demonstrate to the judge/official that the archer has completed his/her end of arrows.

14.10 To avoid congestion on the spotter’s or shooting line. 
Only the judges, allocated officials, VI archer’s and their dedicated spotters will be allowed in front of the waiting line at any time during the competition arrows.

14.11 To assist the officials in charge of the Competition, it is 
necessary to ensure that only Archers and their spotter’s are in front of the waiting line when competition ends are being shot. The archer and their spotter must be recognizable as partners. The archer’s target number will be made available and be worn by both the archer and their spotter.

15 VIABLE SIGHT AND SHOOTING CATEGORIES.

Any sight or shooting category using any of the agreed methods of shooting and sight categories at International level must compose of at least three competitors (i.e. three B2/3 female tactile) to have a viable competitive category.

15.1 Validity of shooting methods. To be a recognized method of shooting, any sighting method must be used by more than one competing country. 

15.2 Only by prior arrangement and with the agreement of all countries competing, may a unique (a method used by only one country) method of shooting be integrated into an existing category. 

15 (a) For example. Free style: The ‘free style’ method of shooting may be integrated into the relevant sight classification categories (B1/2/3/VIopen). In this case, rules of shooting, 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5 do not apply. This would necessitate this rule: The guide-instructor may stand immediately behind the archer with the ability of touching the archer’s rear shoulder or elbow as well as giving verbal advice (in the relevant language) during the complete sequence of shooting. This MUST be done in a quiet manner and not disturb or distract other archers.

15 (b) For Example Sonic sighting devices: Equipment may include electronic sighting devices utilizing electro-magnetic radiation outside the visible wavelengths providing that they do not interfere with other archers on the shooting line. Such devices may be attached to the boss but not in the scoring area. Any signal generated must be unique to the individual and not distract other competitors. This would necessitate a further category.

15. (c) Compound archers may use release aids, if rules 15, 15.1 and 15.2 are applied. This would necessitate a further category.

16. TEAM MANAGER 

Each national contingent will be technically managed by a Team Manager, registered with his/her national association. He/she will be held responsible for his/her archers and spotters in official IBSA competitions.

16.1 INTERPRETERS

Each national contingent can include at least one interpreter.

17. COMPETITION VENUE AND TOURNAMENT MANAGEMENT

The archery centre or field selected for any IBSA sanctioned competition must agree to: 

17.1 Reserve the venue needed for the exclusive use of the Host Association. 

17.2 Assist the host association in securing scorekeepers, referees, and tournament assistants.

17.3 Work with the Host Association in publicizing the competition, but restrict the use of flashbulbs or bright television lights during competition.

17.4 The Host Association shall appoint a qualified tournament manager. He/she and his/her designated representatives shall supervise and direct the tournament. This shall include responsibility to assign scorekeepers, judges, and tournament assistants.

17.5 The tournament management committee shall consist of
I. The tournament manager
II. The IBSA representative
III. One qualified Technical specialist, jointly appointed by the tournament manager and the IBSA representative

18. PENALTIES

18.1 Any archer or spotter who commits an infraction of the rules, or is guilty of aggressive, or insulting behaviour during or after an event; may be disqualified or banned from further competition in that event.

18.2 Penalties will be determined by the Jury of Appeal. The Jury shall consist of three members who must not be officials from any participating national contingent, appointed by the representative of the IBSA Archery Technical Sub-Committee from among representatives of different countries present at the Championships site. 

18.3 Any additional measures may be determined and enforced by the IBSA Sports Technical Committee upon the advice of the Archery Technical Sub-Committee.

18.4 A medical committee may carry out drug testing at the end of each day’s competition. Any archer who refuses the test or who is tested positive will be relegated to the last place in the day’s competition, or removed from the competition all together. All doping cases will be reviewed by the IBSA disciplinary panel.

18.5 The list of banned substances is the one provided by the IOC. Specific regulations exist for the accomplishment of medical testing 

19. PROTESTS

19.1 Protests involving general shooting rules must be confirmed in writing to a responsible tournament official not later than 24 hours after the competition in which the alleged infraction occurred or before prize presentation, whichever is the sooner.

19.2 When there is a protest involving an archer or spotter, an official representative of the association involved may be present when evidence is taken relative to the protest.

19.3 If no written protest is entered prior to the expiration period as stated the first decision is final.

19.4 Each rule under this rule shall not be construed to cover a similar or previous violation.

20. PRE-TOURNAMENT MEETING 

20.1 Prior to the start of the competition, a meeting of the team managers shall be held to provide all necessary information about the competition and related activities, and to answer questions. Target positions and the appointment of a Jury of Appeal shall take place during the meeting.

20.2 The tournament manager and the technical specialist shall attend the meeting which shall be chaired by the IBSA representative. The IBSA representative may designate a representative to chair the meeting.

20.3 In addition to other personnel specified above, only team managers and coaches should attend this meeting.

20.4 The meeting may not be scheduled during official practice and translation services must be available. Materials circulated during the meeting must be available in alternative formats, such as in braille, large print or cassette tape.

20.5 The composition of teams will be determined at this meeting.

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