When to watch boccia during the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games

Boccia events will take place between Thursday, August 29 and Thursday, September 5 in Paris. Taking its name from the Italian word for “ball,” boccia was originally developed as a competition for people with cerebral palsy, a condition affecting the brain that controls muscle movement. 

Today, the boccia contingent competing at the Paralympic Games includes athletes from as many as 75 countries. 

There are four defined classes for boccia, which determines which athletes will compete against one another. Below is a list and description of each class as designated by World Boccia.

Boccia Classifications
BC1 Players in this class throw the ball with the hand or foot. They may compete with an assistant who stays outside of the competitor’s playing box, to stabilize or adjust their playing chair and give the ball to the player when requested.
BC2 Players in this class throw the ball with the hand. They are not eligible for assistance.
BC3 Players in this class have very severe locomotor dysfunction in all four extremities. Players in this class have no sustained grasp or release action and although they may have arm movement, they have insufficient range of movement to propel a Boccia ball onto the court. They may use an assistive device such as a ramp to deliver the ball. They may compete with an assistant; assistants must keep their back to the court and their eyes averted from play.
BC4 Players in this class have severe locomotor dysfunction of all four extremities as well as poor trunk control. They can demonstrate sufficient dexterity to throw the ball onto the court. Players are not eligible for assistance.

Venue

The boccia competition will move into the South Paris Arena #1, part of the Paris Expo complex, during the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.

Events

  • Individual BC1 (women’s, men’s)
  • Individual BC2 (women’s, men’s)
  • Individual BC3 (women’s, men’s)
  • Individual BC4 (women’s, men’s)
  • Mixed team BC1-2
  • Mixed pair BC3
  • Mixed pair BC4

Competition Schedule

Boccia at the 2024 Paris Paralympics
Date Session Time (ET)
August 29 Session 1
Session 2		 3:30a-8:15a
10:30a-4:35p
August 30 Session 1
Session 2		 3:30a-8:15a
10:30a-4:25p
August 31 Session 1
Session 2		 3:30a-8:15a
10:30a-3:30p
September 1 Session 1
Session 2		 3:30a-7:25a
10:30a-3:50p
September 2 Session 1
Session 2		 3:30a-7:25a
10:30a-3:40p
September 3 Session 1
Session 2		 3:30a-7:50a
10:30a-3:20p
September 4 Session 1
Session 2		 3:30a-8:10a
10:30a-3:10p
September 5 Session 1
Session 2		 3:30a-8:10a
10:30a-4:25p