Boccia: From ancient Egypt to modern equipment

From 5200 BC to today, Boccia crossed the ages. At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, athletes will celebrate four decades of existence at the highest level of competition, from August 29 to September 5 at the South Paris Arena.

Named after the Italian word for “ball”, Boccia is a game played a long time before heading to the Paralympic Games. While historians found some engravings of Egyptian throwing stones from 5200 BC, the sport only made its first apparition at the highest international level in 1984, when the Paralympic Games were held in New York, USA, and Stoke Mandeville, Great Britain. 19 athletes from five countries competed that year.

Four decades later, this sport is one of the most unique disciplines of the Paralympic Games, with no less than 124 athletes expected for 11 medal events and competing at the beautiful complex of the South Paris Arena.

If boccia seems pretty like petanque or curling, strategy, dexterity and precision are crucial qualities to shine at the highest level, reminding of disciplines like chess. Played indoors on a 12.5m x 6m flat court, the goal is to bring your balls of your colour – either red or blue – as close as possible to the white ball called “jack”. Individually or collectively (by teams of 3 for BC1 and BC2 or by pairs for BC3 and BC4), athletes play until they manage to bring their 275g leather ball closer to the jack than the opponent's closest ball.

Games are played in four rounds for individual and pairs' games – six for the teams' games – and end when the six balls of the two sides are thrown. Points are added at the end of the different rounds to determine the winner.

Did you know?

Boccia is the only sport – with goalball – which doesn't have its Olympic counterpart. Exclusively played in wheelchairs, due to their handicap, there are four different classes in Paralympic Games from BC1 to BC4 (BC means Boccia).

• BC1: athletes throw the ball with their foot or their hand. Assistants are allowed but need to stay away from the player’s box, while adjusting the contender’s chair for a better stability. They can also give the ball to the player when he requests it.
• BC2: athletes throw the ball with their hand but are not eligible to have an assistant close to them.
• BC3: athletes have very important dysfunctions to their four extremities and don’t have enough mobility to throw the ball, despite having arm movement ability. Assistants - who also can get a medal in this class - are allowed to stay in the player's box but must have their backs turned. Athletes can use a pointer with their mouth, their hand or their forehead, which will push the ball down a ramp, adjusting the ball’s speed to reach the jack.
• BC4: athletes have very important dysfunctions to their four extremities and poor trunk control but are not eligible to have an assistant with them.

With 10 gold medals, the Republic of Korea is the most successful country in Paralympic Boccia, in front of Portugal (eight) and Brazil (six). Brazil's Dirceu Jose Pinto and Thailand's Watcharaphon Vongsa have won four gold medals, more than anybody else.

Evolution never stops

Boccia has progressed a lot over the centuries. Originally played in ancient Greece, this para sport improved its visibility by staying true to itself. Years after years, athletes reached such a stong level and developed some incredible precise shots, as the throwing technique got better and the strategy even more pushed than before. Nonetheless, sportsmanship and fair play are still fundamental skills for the good execution of the game.

The lob shot is one of the most impressive shots you cannot see in other ball sports. The ball jumps over the opponent’s ball and tries to reach the jack so the other team can’t win the point back.

BC3 players are highly impacting the equipment’s evolutions, by using a ramp (which helps the athlete to position his ball and release it with precision and enough power, controlling it at the same time). Also, due to their disability, they also have the possibility - if they need to - to push the ball thanks to a pointer – which is a stick attached to their head, their hand or in their mouth - and can create some speed depending on the position of the ball on the ramp. All those devices are proper to that sport and bring an even more attraction to Boccia.

What about France?

Among the 75 countries playing Boccia at the highest level, France has a really young experience internationally in that discipline, French delegation has officially been recognised in 2016 in the country. Les Bleus brought their first ever Boccia team at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

This year, France will bring five athletes: Jules Menard, Fayçal Meguenni, Sonia Heckel, Aurélien Fabre and Aurélie Aubert. With big expectations of medals, notably for Sonia Heckel, world number one in BC3. Meanwhile the events were mixed so far, the 35-year-old athlete will seek a first medal in the woman's section, as men's and women's competitions are now seperated.