Is Boccia a Paralympic Sport?

The History of Boccia

Boccia is a precision ball sport, similar to bocce ball, that is played by athletes with physical disabilities.

It originated in ancient Greece and has been played for centuries.

The game was first introduced to the Paralympic Games in 1984.

Boccia at the Paralympic Games

Boccia is one of the most popular sports at the Paralympic Games.

It is played by athletes with a variety of disabilities, including cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and spina bifida.

Athletes compete in individual, pairs, and team events.

How to Play Boccia

The goal of boccia is to get your balls closest to the target ball, called the "jack".

Players take turns throwing their balls underhand.

They can also use assistive devices to help them throw the ball.

Boccia Classification

Boccia athletes are classified into four different classes based on their level of disability.

• BC1: Athletes who have the most severe disabilities and require assistance to play.
• BC2: Athletes who have less severe disabilities and can play with minimal assistance.
• BC3: Athletes who have mild disabilities and can play without assistance.
• BC4: Athletes who have intellectual disabilities and play with modified rules.

Paralympic Boccia Champions

Some of the most successful Paralympic boccia players include:

• David Smith (Great Britain): 8 gold medals
• Paul Gauthier (Canada): 5 gold medals
• Marco Dispaltro (Italy): 4 gold medals

Boccia at the Paralympic Games Paris 2024

Boccia will be one of the 22 sports contested at the Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

The competitions will be held at the Roland Garros Tennis Stadium.

A total of 112 athletes will compete for medals in seven events.