Disabilities Catered For

Boccia caters to athletes who are severely physically disabled, including those with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and Non-Cerebral Palsy conditions. It is specifically designed for athletes with a disability affecting loco-motor function.

How we play Boccia

Boccia (pronounced ‘Bot-cha’) involves athletes throwing, kicking, or using a ramp to propel a ball onto the court with the goal of getting closest to a white “jack” ball.

• The game is played indoors on a court similar in size to a badminton court.
• The aim is to get closer to the jack than the opponent.
• Each side has six balls: one red and one blue. The jack ball, which is white, is thrown first.
• The balls are leather-filled with plastic granules, ensuring they don’t bounce but still roll effectively.
• The side whose ball is not closest to the jack continues throwing until it gets closer or runs out of balls.
• At the end of the round, the side with balls closest to the jack scores points for every ball closer than the opponent’s nearest ball.

Paralympic Representation

Boccia was introduced as a Paralympic sport in 1984, with 19 athletes from five countries participating. Today, the sport is practiced in more than 75 countries worldwide, with 116 athletes set to compete at the next Games.