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Korfbal, a joint collective sport, celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. This discipline, created in 1902 in the Netherlands, is unique: it opposes two teams composed of half men and half women. A mix that is still rare in the world of sport.
With Paris 2024, the Olympic Games will be equal for the very first time: there will be as many women as men at these Olympic Games. For a very wide mix during the competitions, it will still be necessary to wait, on the other hand.
At Tokyo 2021, 18 mixed events were already organized, in athletics, badminton, judo, swimming, equestrian sports, tennis, table tennis, shooting, archery, triathlon and sailing. But none – at least among the team sports – was purely and exclusively mixed and parity like korfbal.
Derived from a Swedish game
This one was established 120 years ago in the Netherlands, by a teacher concerned with finding physical activity for the girls and boys in his school. In 1902, Nico Broekhuysen achieved this by taking inspiration from a game (ring) discovered during a trip to Sweden.
The principle of korfbal ? Two teams made up of eight people, four women and four men, compete there on two surfaces with baskets 3.5 meters high, false cousins of those of basketball. The goal: to put a ball there. The rules forbid dribbling. Participants must therefore circulate the ball with passes. Another restriction: a man does not have the right to defend against a woman and vice versa.
A summary of what korfball is
« Korfbal is the only fully egalitarian (gender) sport in the worldboasts its international federation (IKF). With 100% equal teams, included in the rules of the game since the existence of the sport in 1902, it is fair to say that (gender) equality is part of the DNA and the key value of korfball. We believe that playing sports is much more fun together. Our ball bounces the same for everyone, everywhere. Because it doesn’t matter who you are and what you do. Male or female, young or old, pro or amateur ».
A progressive opening to the world
Only downside, the korfbal seems to be internationalizing slowly. Its competitions are on the one hand ultra dominated by the Netherlands and Belgium, two historic nations where matches can attract thousands of spectators. On the other hand, only less than 70 countries are affiliated to the IKF. Among them, ten from Africa, including Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Morocco. The Cherifian kingdom will also host the World Korfbal on the beach, on August 19 and 20, 2022 in Nador.
By the end of the year, the 5th African Championships should also take place, confirms the IKF to RFI. Unsurprisingly, South Africa, which won the first four editions, in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018, and which organized the last Worlds (in 2019), will be the favorite ahead of Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Olympic ambitions
Despite these difficulties, korfbal nevertheless hoped to eventually integrate the Summer Olympics, while the “basketball” was demonstrated in Antwerp in 1920 and in Amsterdam in 1928. ” The dream and vision of the IKF is to be included in the program of the Olympic Games, and to be the first fully equal (gender) sport at the Olympic Games “, emphasizes the IKF.
To maximize the chances of making their way through the jungle of disciplines expected at Los Angeles 2028 or Brisbane 2032, the IKF is thinking about ” new korfball formats with a smaller number of players compared to 8-player korfball “, explains the institution based in Utrecht.
In the meantime, we will have to continue to turn to the World Games, a sort of antechamber to the Olympic Games, the next edition of which will take place from July 7 to 17 in Birmingham (southeastern United States), to see korfball during a large-scale multi-sport event.
