Doug Ripley

Doug Ripley is a veteran goalball player and athlete. In 2012, he competed at his first Paralympic Games in London. He waited 16 years for the opportunity after missing the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games with a stress fracture.

Ripley has juvenile macular degeneration, which means he’s unable to make out details in his central vision. He began playing goalball at 17 and turned competitive in 2003, after having competed in Para athletics as a member of Team Canada from 1993 to 1998.

When he isn’t training, Ripley works as a registered massage therapist and spends quality time with his daughter, Paige.

Ripley made the Canadian national goalball team with a splash in 2010, when his team won gold for the first time at nationals and he was named MVP of the tournament.

He was part of Team Canada at the 2010 World Championships as well as the 2011 IBSA (International Blind Sports Federation) World Games, where Canada placed third and qualified for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.