|
Boccia
|
| Photo by Matthew Stockman (Getty Images) |
Boccia made its debut as a medal sport at the Paralympic Games during the 1992 Barcelona Games. Although the game originated long ago in the Italian Alps, its popularity has spread worldwide. Boccia has also long been a popular sport with individuals with cerebral palsy, testing an athlete’s level of muscle control, concentration and accuracy.
Athletes throw, kick or use an assistive device to propel leather balls as close as possible to a white target ball (the jack). Each player throws six balls. After each individual match, four ends are played, with the top two players from each pool advancing. Boccia is played indoors on a flat, smooth surface by either individuals or teams. Paralympic boccia competition is open to male and female athletes with cerebral palsy/brain injury/stroke. For additional information on eligibility, click on the Classification link on the left side of this page.
For more information about disabled boccia, visit United Cerebral Palsy's boccia page by clicking here.
|
