Boccia is the Paralympic sport played with a white cue ball and red and blue object balls.
The aim is to throw or roll colored balls as close as possible to the white target ball, known as the jack. Players compete individually, in pairs or in teams, and may use adapted equipment such as ramps and pointers when their classification requires it.
Boccia was developed as a competition for athletes with severe physical impairments, including cerebral palsy and related neurological conditions. It became a Paralympic sport at the 1984 New York and Stoke Mandeville Games. Unlike bowls or pétanque, boccia uses soft leather balls and is played on a smooth indoor court.
The sport’s name comes from the Italian word for ball. A common mistake is to confuse boccia with bocce, the Italian lawn or court game. They share a broad target-ball concept, but Paralympic boccia has its own equipment, rules and classifications.