The rules for visually impaired archery can feel overwhelming at first, so this article provides a brief summary of how World Archery competitions work for VI athletes. It’s a quick guide only—official rules and complete details can be found directly on the World Archery website beginning at Para archery Book 5.
Visually Impaired Categories
Visually impaired (VI) archery is designed to be inclusive, safe, and fair, while still allowing athletes to compete at a high level. Athletes compete in one of two divisions: VI1, or a combined VI2/VI3 division. VI1 athletes shoot wearing a blindfold, while VI2 and VI3 athletes—classified as IBSA B2 or B3 based on visual acuity—do not. No matter the division, all VI archers use a tactile sight, and no other type of sight is allowed.
If there aren’t enough athletes to support separate divisions, competitions may combine all VI archers into a single category. When this happens, everyone shoots wearing a blindfold, and teams may enter up to six VI athletes regardless of classification.
Blindfolds can be simple sleep masks or wraparound goggles, but they are checked by judges and must be worn any time an athlete is on the field of play. That includes equipment setup, practice, and competition. Tactile sights and foot locators must meet specific size and spacing rules so they don’t interfere with other archers, and once set up, the tactile sight can stay in place for the rest of the competition day.
Bow requirements
VI athletes can shoot either recurve or compound bows in the same class. Compound bows may be shot with fingers or a release aid, with a maximum draw weight of 45 pounds for both men and women.
Competition rules
There are several competition formats, including outdoor, indoor, 30-meter, and Paralympic rounds. These vary in arrow counts and target sizes, but standard World Archery rules apply. Indoors, everyone scores using the full recurve 10-ring—even if they’re shooting a compound bow. Elimination and finals matches are shot in set play, leading up to gold medal matches.
VI archers are allowed to have a spotter, who sits just behind the shooting line. The spotter calls arrow placement, helps with safety, guides the athlete to and from the target, and handles scoring. They can adjust equipment only between ends, and during individual matches. Athletes and spotters must be easy to identify as a team by wearing the same uniform.
To keep the field of play consistent at international and World Archery-registered events, support or guide dogs are not permitted during competition.
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