together we can defend the French Showdown, and more broadly the visually impaired sports by signing and spreading this petition

french Showdown needs your support

If one day, the French Judo players who are making great in the whole world had been deprived of international competitions,the level would worsen, the number of licenced players would decrease, and the structures taking care of this diciplin would collapse. You would thus find such a decision simply unjust. Then, we would say that by its reluctance to recognize the showdown as a competition sport, the French HandisportsFederation is fastening its death and disappearence in France.

We, Members of the French Union of Showdown, deplore this decision and fin dit simply not justified. The showdown is recognized at the international level as a competition sport by the International Blind Sports Assemblee IBSA, an instance which the French Handysports Federation is part of. Despite that, the French Federation refuses to recognize this deciplin as a competition sport, which will deprive our players of participating in the European Championship of Showdown which will take place in Italy from the 19th to the 25th of september 2016. Thus we would like to express ou ranger against this VETO because it denies all the physical, financial, and structural efforts of our players, structures, coaches, referees, volunteers, etc. It will not only make our French players lose their excellent ranks at the international level, but also put an end to the practice of the Showdown in France unfortunately.

We are thus calling for the support of everyone of you, and have chosen this period as the paralympics are going on, because we believe that you share with us the belief that a sport is no longer as such if it is not practiced in competition.

We really hope you to be numerous to sign this petition in order to show to the French Ha ndysports Federation that the French Showdown still has a wonderful and promissing future.
In order to support us, please clic here
https://www.change.org/p/g%C3%A9rard-masson-pr%C3%A9sident-de-la-f%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration-fran%C3%A7aise-handisport-reconnaissez-enfin-le-showdown-en-france-comme-un-sport-de-comp%C3%A9tition

This petition will be addressed to Mr Gérard MASSON, president of the Federation,Mr Jean MINIER , National Technical Director of the Federation, Mrs Ségolène NEVILLE, State Secretary charged of persons with disabilities and fighting against exclusion, and Mr Patric KANNER, minister of the City, of Youngsters and of Sports.

This post was not explained well but looking at more information I understand your point. Showdown is a new sport specifically designed for the blind just like goalball. If those 2 sports were compared instead of Judo I think it would have been easier to understand. In The UK only Olympic sports get government funding and judging by your article then it sounds the same for France. in the UK you can subscribe to BBS (British Blind Sports and get a discount on hotel Occommodation for some of the Judo Training camps. As You say if your National association don't recognise those sports then people who love the sport would either have to pay a lot more to take part in the competitions or give the sport up entirely.

If people want to read more about Showdown I have enclosed a link at the bottom!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showdown_(sport)

People don't be stupid and support this one, we are here to help eachother!

I have signed right now... The Czech Rep is with ya.

YNWA, nobody obliges you to sign. It is up to you to support showdown in France as it is also up to you not to support it. Yet I want to remind you that it is in no way a political matter, and that it is a sport for the blind which suffers from serious problems at the national level in France. By signing the petition we support showdown players who are like us, blind and visually impaired, and who want to practice their sport just like all of other countries.
Thanks for signing

I would not say that this is a political issue. Of course I'll sign this one, I played some international tournaments as well and met some of the French players, and they definitely do not deserve to be excluded from these tournaments. This is not just about French people, guys. It's about the advancement of the sport showdown as a whole. It is still not a paralympic sport and by all rights it should be. The chances will diminish further if national sports associations decide not to recognize showdown as a sport. Unfortunately there are still many, many blind people who have never heard of the sport Showdown, even in Europe, where I think its popularity is greatest. I'd be happy to provide some background information for those of you who do not know about the sport at all.

Although I do not know what this sport is, I want to do what I can to insure it is represented at the parolympics, and elsewhere. But as everyone pointed out, it really doesn't matter what the sport is, it's the fact that we as blind people need to do what we can to insure representation and to help further the advancement of such sports or activities.

Yes, I agree with what everyone has said, therefore I've signed already.
They need 382 more to reach 1000, then do not hesitate to support them.
The best wishes, Cristina from Romania!

Before sorry for my bad English, but a very big thanks for your signing. The showdown is a important sport for me and other french players. We have talk of judo for exemple because this sport in France have a lot of success. But, it's a sport same goalball. Please continue your mobilisation, and if you can please share around you the link of petition. We have translate in different languages: italian, spanish, german, nederlands, and English for more visibility. All translations are available here: http://www.showdown.fr/petition/ thanks again, and good week.

Signed and shared to my facebook. Hope you can get the required number of supporters and more. Good luck.

for goallball I killed my laziness and did it

thanks for all for your help and support. please do not hesitate to share this link to sign the petition, talk about it around you and post it on your pages on social media. thanks again for the time you have given to this

Signed, and even accompanied with a french comment if that helps a bit. Also some people from the spanish part have showed up their appreciation for this sport, that although it's not that known, it's thanks to that good desire of helping that we're reaching a major number of contributions.

Let's keep up the sports for blind people! The more the better.

Kind regards.

It sounds an interesting sport and from what I have read it is not known in the UK. I think it would be difficult though getting it into the paraolympics because at present the rule is if any new sport comes in then another one will have to go out due to the fact the costs to host an Olympics is so high they would not want to be seen making it more expensive. It was In the Atlanta Paraolympics so it be quite a while before it becomes a demonstration sport again!