When Competing Means Being Able To Afford The Right Equipment

On Jan. 5, World Boccia, the sport’s governing body, announced on Facebook that they had a problem: Someone was selling counterfeit balls. In boccia, which is akin to lawn bowling and has been a part of the Paralympic program since 1984, athletes take turns throwing balls closest to the jack, a white ball that is thrown at the beginning of each contest. It’s played by disabled athletes with a variety of access needs that can include the use of a ramp that is controlled by a sports assistant. The balls can be different weights and sizes, or even have different materials inside of them, but like a spitball or an underinflated football (sorry, Patriots fans), there are standards. Some things just aren’t above board. The culprit? An account called Boccia Ball, which still exists as of press time, and is offering a set for 40. The company, which appears to be based in India, was doing its best to pass off the items as legitimate, despite the sport’s federation having a clear supply chain for officially sanctioned competition equipment. The account offers a steep discount: a sanctioned set of balls cost anywhere between 400 and 1,000, at least 10 times the price of the knockoffs.