Paris 2024: Introduction to boccia

All you need to know about boccia, a precision ball game that made its Paralympic debut 40 years ago 22 Mar 2024

A Korean boccia player uses a a pointer with his mouth to position the ball on the ramp

Boccia is one of two Paralympic sports that has no Olympic equivalent

ⒸGetty Images

By IPC

Welcome to Week 5 of Paris 2024 Sport Weeks. This week, we share everything you need to know about boccia, a precision ball game that has been in the Paralympic programme since 1984.

Boccia is one of the two sports in the Paris 2024 sports programme without an Olympic counterpart. In less than 200 days, up to 124 athletes will compete across 11 medal events at the South Paris Arena.

Brief history of boccia

Originally developed for people with co-ordination impairments, boccia has since developed as a sport and now includes athletes with various eligible impairments.

Boccia made its Paralympic debut in 1984, when the Games were held in New York, USA, and Stoke Mandeville, Great Britain, featuring 19 athletes from five countries. The USA picked up two of the five gold medals up for grabs and finished atop the medals table.

What to watch in boccia

In boccia, two teams compete against each other as individuals, pairs or teams of three. One side gets six red balls, while the other gets six blue balls. Players must get the most balls closest to the white ball, called the Jack.

a group of blue and red balls lying close to a white ball being measured — The distance of a player's balls from the white Jack decides the match-winner © Getty Images

A coin flip determines which side plays the Jack on the court and the first ball. The team furthest from the Jack keeps throwing until they get their ball closest or run out of balls.

Athletes compete in wheelchairs within four classes depending on the impact their impairments have on their ability to perform the sport.

BC1 athletes have an assistant to manoeuvre the wheelchair and play the ball with their hands or feet. BC2 athletes can throw without assistance, and in BC3, athletes may use a pointer, a ramp and support from a Sport Assistant, who also receives a medal if they win.

Greg Polychronidis has his equipment set by his assistant — BC3 athletes can be supported by a Sports Assistant © Getty Images

Memorable Paralympic moments

The Republic of Korea is the most successful country in Paralympic boccia to date, winning 10 gold medals. Portugal has eight, followed by Brazil with six and Spain, Great Britain and Thailand with five.

three boccia players in wheelchairs and their standing assistants hold up their gold medals on the podium — The Republic of Korea is the most successful nation in Paralympic boccia © Getty Images

With four gold medals, Brazil’s Dirceu Jose Pinto and Thailand’s Watcharaphon Vongsa have won the most events at the Paralympics. Pinto won double gold at both Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and a silver at Rio 2016.

Vongsa, who made his Paralympic debut at London 2012, most recently topped the podium in the Teams BC1-2 tournament at Tokyo 2020 with Subin Tipmanee, Worawut Saengampa, and Witsanu Huadpradit.

Thai boccia player Watcharaphon Vongsa throws a ball — Watcharaphon Vongsa has four Paralympic titles dating back to London 2012 © Getty Images

Beijing 2008 was a milestone for boccia as the first Paralympic Games to broadcast the competition with overhead cameras live on TV.

At Rio 2016, the hosts celebrated a huge win as the BC3 mixed pairs team consisting of Evelyn de Oliveira, Antonio Leme and Evani Soares da Silva beat resounding favourites and world No. 1 South Korea 5-2 in the final to take gold.

It was Brazil’s sixth boccia Paralympic title.

three boccia players in wheelchairs and three standing assistants with their medals on the podium — Brazil celebrated a memorable win on home soil at Rio 2016 © Getty Images

Five years later, at Tokyo 2020, Great Britain’s David Smith collected his third Paralympic gold medal by staging a dramatic comeback from 2-0 down to beat Malaysia’s Chew Wei Lun.

Paris 2024 event programme

There will be 11 medal events at Paris 2024, compared with seven at the previous Games at Tokyo 2020. The sport will have eight gender specific medal events, having previously only offered mixed or open competition:

Individual BC1 (men, women)

Individual BC2 (men, women)

Individual BC3 (men, women)

Individual BC4 (men, women)

Mixed team BC1-2

Mixed pair BC3

Mixed pair BC4