The manual outlines how best to coach players who are either blind or partially sighted, offering example drills, safety considerations and communication advice ©Getty Images

Portuguese and Russian versions of an International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) coaching handbook for blind football are now available.

The IBSA Blind Football Coaching Manual: a guide for beginners, was first published in English in January.

The manual is aimed at new coaches, physical education teachers and others interested in learning more about the sport.

It outlines how best to coach players who are either blind or partially sighted, offering example drills, safety considerations and communication advice.

The manual was published with support from UEFA ©IBSA
The manual was published with support from UEFA ©IBSA

Its publication came as part of the IBSA Blind Football Development Project Europe, which UEFA sponsored, and it is hoped that it will contribute towards the growth of blind football.

The publication of Portuguese and Russian versions of the document is further designed to help grow the sport globally.

French and Spanish versions are hoped to be published in the future, the IBSA said.

It thanked the Portuguese National Sports Association for People with a Visual Impairment and Arsen Bulekov for their assistance in providing the translations, which can be downloaded from the IBSA website.