Editing Bocce (section)

==History==

Having developed from games played in the Roman Empire, bocce developed into its present form in Italy,<ref name="Malta and Gozo">{{cite book |last1=Rix |first1=Juliet |chapter=Boċċi |page=309 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WmKKCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA309 |title=Malta and Gozo |date=2015 |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |isbn=978-1-78477-025-9 }}</ref> where it is called ''{{lang|it|bocce}}'', the plural of the Italian word ''{{lang|it|boccia}}'' which means 'bowl' in the general sporting sense.<ref name="collins">{{cite web |url= http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/italian-english/boccia |title=boccia |work=Collins Italian–English |via=CollinsDictionary.com |access-date=8 November 2012}}</ref> It spread around Europe and also in regions to which Italians have migrated. The first form of regulation was described in the book "Gioco delle bocchie" by Raffaele Bisteghi in 1753.<ref> 
[https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/bocce_%28Enciclopedia-dello-Sport%29/ Treccani encyclopedia: read first section]</ref> In South America it is known as ''{{lang|es|bochas}}'', or ''[[bolas criollas]]'' ('[[Criollo people|Criollo]] balls') in [[Venezuela]], and ''{{lang|pt-BR|bocha}}'' in southern [[Brazil]]. The accessibility of bocce to people of all ages and abilities has seen it grow in popularity among [[Special Olympics]] programmes globally, and it is now the third most-played sport among Special Olympics athletes.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Special Olympics bocce sport profile|url=https://www.specialolympics.org/our-work/sports/bocce|access-date=12 July 2020|website=Special Olympics International|date=6 August 2018}}</ref>