Tchoukball

Tchoukball is a unique indoor team sport played by two competing sides. Each team consists of seven players on the court at one time.

The sport is designed to be a non-contact game. This means players are prohibited from making physical contact with one another. The primary goal is to score points by bouncing a ball off a special frame. This frame is known as a rebounder. The name of the sport is onomatopoeic. It comes from the "tchouk" sound the ball makes when it hits the rebounder.

To understand how the game works, one must look at the specific mechanics of play.

An attacking team moves the ball through passing to reach a scoring position. Players are limited by strict rules to maintain the game's pace. A player may take at most three steps while holding the ball. They may also hold the ball for a maximum of three seconds. Additionally, a team is only allowed to make three passes before they must shoot at the rebounder. If a player misses the rebounder or the ball goes out of bounds, a point is awarded to the opposing team.

Scoring in tchoukball requires precision and timing. A point is recorded when the ball hits the rebounder and then touches the ground outside of a specific area. This area is a D-shaped semi-circle called the forbidden zone. The forbidden zone has a radius of 3 meters. If the ball hits a defender's body below the knees, the attacking team also scores. However, if a defender catches the ball during the rebound, the defending team immediately gains possession to start an attack.

This creates a fast-paced cycle of offense and defense.

Teams are organized into specific roles to manage the court effectively. Most teams utilize two right shooters, two left shooters, and two or three defenders. Some formations also include a centre pivot to manage the middle of the court. The shooters are primarily responsible for taking shots at the rebounder. Defenders coordinate the first line of defense to prevent the ball from hitting the ground. The centre pivot typically manages the second line of defense. Some teams choose to bypass the centre entirely to throw long passes directly to their shooters.

The physical environment of the game varies depending on the setting. A standard indoor court measures 27 meters in length and 16 meters in width. For beach tchoukball, the court is smaller, measuring 21 meters by 12 meters. At each end of the court sits a one-square-meter rebounder. The equipment is also standardized by player category. Balls used by men, women, and youth players vary in size. These balls have a circumference between 54 and 60 centimeters. They also weigh between 325 and 475 grams.

History shows that tchoukball was born from a desire for social change. Hermann Brandt developed the sport in Switzerland during the 1970s. Brandt was a man concerned by the high number of serious injuries in competitive sports. He noticed that many sports relied on aggression and physical contact. He wanted to create a sport that was more humane and inclusive. Brandt believed that athletics should contribute to a better society rather than just creating champions. He combined elements from handball, volleyball, and squash to build this new system.

Today, the International Tchoukball Federation (FITB) governs the sport globally. The federation was founded in 1971 and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. As of 2021, the FITB included 50 member associations. The sport has seen great success in places like Singapore, Switzerland, and Taiwan. Since 1980, Taiwanese teams have been very dominant in world championships. However, other nations have achieved notable victories. Switzerland defeated Taiwan in the 2004 men's final. More recently, Italy defeated the Taiwanese women's team in a 2023 semi-final. The sport continues to grow through various leagues, including university and wheelchair tchoukball.