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EUROPEAN BOCCIA INTEGRATIVE
CHAMPIONSHIP
With the commemorative intention, marking the International Day of
People with Disabilities the European Boccia Integrative Championship,
was organised for the first time, by the Academic Sports Association,
hosted at the venues of Warsaw Medical University.
The inaugural European Boccia
Integrative Championship
was held successfully in
Piastow near Warsaw between
December 9 and 11.
The first edition of the
championship was organized
by the University Sports
Association of Poland (AZS),
under the patronage of
the European University
Sports Association (EUSA),
commemorating the
International Day of Persons
with Disabilities on December 3.
Boccia is a Paralympic sport,
where the goal is to throw the
blue or red balls as close as
possible to the white ball, and
is conceptually characterized in
terms of performance as well
as its structure, dynamics and
normative play as a precision
and coordination ball sports
activity – with a set of 13 balls
(1 white ball (target ball), 6 red
balls and 6 blue balls.
Nearly one hundred participants
took part in the event,
composing sixteen teams
coming from five countries -
Poland, Greece, Italy, Slovakia
and Ukraine. Apart of the teams,
individual competitions were
divided into five categories
(Open, BC1, BC2, BC4, BC5). The
event was held in competitive,
yet friendly and enjoyable
manner.Among the teams, the Nike
Bydgoszcz team turned out
to be the best, ahead of theSlovakian team and Prometeus
Konopiska.Entitled to take part in the
3 days European Boccia
Integrative Championship,
were people with disabilities
together with their coach/
guardian. Teams could’ve been
comprised of 5 participants and
1 coach/guardian, or more than
6 participants and 2 coaches/
guardians. One country had the
opportunity be represented by a
maximum of 3 teams. Boccia can be a sport for
everyone, but it has gained
the greatest popularity among
people with disabilities,
especially those affected by
cerebral palsy and wheelchair
users. It engages both body andmind, acting therapeutically.
It is a great way to integrate
physically disabled people
with able-bodied people - in
sports clubs, non-governmental
organizations, schools,
rehabilitation centres and even
at home.
Boccia represents a discipline
with many aspects - it is a sport
with elements of competition,
a therapeutic tool, and can be
used as means of integration.
The organisers were encouraged
by what has happened in
Piastów, and certainly intend to
continue the idea of Integrative
Boccia Championship.