World Boccia is deeply saddened to announce the death of its founding President and immediate past President, David Hadfield OBE, who has passed away at the age of 73.
A visionary leader, respected administrator and passionate advocate for boccia, David transformed the sport from a relatively small discipline into the fastest growing Paralympic sport.
Beginning with £20 of his own money to open World Boccia’s first bank account in 2012, he created an international federation that is now recognised around the world for its professionalism, innovation and unwavering commitment to athletes.
His passing is an immense loss to the global boccia family and to the wider Paralympic movement.
Born and educated in South Africa and then England, David enjoyed a distinguished career in civil engineering, construction management, and management recruiting, before retiring in 2009.
He was introduced to boccia later that same year and immediately recognised not only the remarkable skill and determination of its athletes, but also the untapped potential of the sport itself.
He quickly went on to serve both as chair of Boccia UK and a board member of Paralympics GB.
At that time, boccia was governed internationally through the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA). David believed the sport deserved an independent future and set about making that ambition a reality.
Through patient negotiation, strategic leadership and an ability to unite people behind a shared vision, he successfully led the process that separated boccia into its own international federation.
On 3 September 2012, the Boccia International Sports Federation – now known as World Boccia – was officially established, with David unanimously elected as its founding President.
He often smiled when recalling that the organisation’s first bank account contained just £20 he had placed there himself.
It was a modest beginning for what would become one of the Paralympic movement’s greatest modern success stories.
For more than a decade, David dedicated thousands of voluntary hours to building World Boccia into a respected and progressive international federation.
Operating effectively as both President and Executive Chair, he combined strategic vision with meticulous attention to governance, always placing athletes at the centre of every decision.
Supported by successive Boards and an expanding global volunteer network, he oversaw remarkable growth in every aspect of the sport.
Membership expanded across more than 70 countries.
The international competition calendar grew to include Regional Championships across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, an enhanced World Cup circuit, Challenger events for emerging athletes and the inaugural World Boccia Youth Championships.
Player pathways were strengthened, opportunities for developing nations increased and female participation reached unprecedented levels.
David also believed passionately that boccia should be accessible to everyone, regardless of geography or resources.
His “Making Boccia Accessible” programme introduced equipment, coach education and development opportunities to nations around the world, while his embrace of digital technology connected the global boccia community more effectively than ever before.
When ill health forced him to step down as President in March 2023, he left behind an organisation that had become recognised as one of the most forward-thinking international federations in Paralympic sport.
His exceptional contribution was fittingly recognised when he received the Paralympic Order, the highest honour of the International Paralympic Committee, during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
He was also awarded an OBE in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, of Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms.
World Boccia President Jon Morgan led the tributes and said: “We will remember David not only with great affection as a dear friend, but also with deep respect and gratitude for the role he played in founding our organisation from its very beginning.
“David was instrumental in helping to set up World Boccia. His vision, commitment, and belief in what was possible, helped shape our organisation and the word-wide community we know today.
“During his presidency, he gave unstintingly of his time, wisdom, and leadership, always placing the interests of the sport, its athletes and members at the heart of everything he did. David believed in better and drove the organisation to a place where it is now a globally respected international sports federation.
“Across the membership, he was not only respected for what he achieved but loved for the manner in which he achieved it. His warmth, fairness, and humour shone through, and he was never happier than amongst the athletes who he deeply cared for.
“To me personally, he was a dear friend who will be greatly missed: generous with encouragement, always supportive and always ready with wise counsel when it was most needed.
“His influence reached far beyond the boccia court. He brought people together, strengthened friendships across nations, and helped create a spirit of belonging, values that will remain part of World Boccia and his enduring legacy.
“Our thoughts remain with his wife, Susan, family and friends.”
International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons also paid tribute to one of the defining figures in the sport’s history.
“David was an incredible human being whose dedication, commitment, and visionary leadership transformed the sport of boccia into the fantastic sport it is today.” he said.
“From opening World Boccia’s first bank account with £20 of his own money to spearheading the sport for more than a decade, David took what was a relatively small sport within CPISRA to a thriving independent federation and one of the fastest growing Paralympic sports.
“David was a great person to be around, tremendous company, and it was a real honour for me to present David with the Paralympic Order during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in the company of the boccia community.
“David will be sorely missed by his family, friends, work colleagues, and the whole Paralympic Movement. He will be remembered as a giant of a man who had a monumental impact on the sport of boccia and beyond.”
David Hadfield’s influence cannot be measured solely by the federation he founded or the competitions he helped create.
His greatest achievement was bringing together a worldwide community united by a shared belief that athletes with the highest support needs deserve a world-class sport in which to compete, inspire and thrive.
Every international competition, every emerging nation joining World Boccia and every athlete taking to the court today stands as part of the legacy he created.
World Boccia extends its deepest condolences to David’s wife, Susan, his family, friends and all those across the global boccia and Paralympic communities who had the privilege of knowing him.
His vision transformed a sport.
His leadership transformed a movement.
His legacy will endure for generations.