As the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) marks its 45th anniversary this year, the organisation stands as a testament to the power of sport to transcend barriers, transform lives, and unite communities across the globe.

Mr Takei Miyoshi invented Blind Tennis in Japan in 1984. He was a pioneer in a new racket sport and a role model to the visually impaired. He was born in 1968 and lost his eyesight at the age of one and a half. When he was 16, as a high school student, he dreamed of playing tennis with the able-bodied and created tennis for the blind.