Éric Bussière is in an unchanged Boccia Canada squad for 2021 ©Getty Images

Boccia Canada has announced a 14-athlete training squad for 2021, which is unchanged from last year and includes a number of Paralympians.

Head coach Mario Delisle cited a lack of competitions last year as a major factor in the decision not to change the team.

"Everyone showed a lot of resilience last year and all the athletes deserve another year in the program," Delisle said.

"In 2021 we are looking forward to the Tokyo Paralympic Games with a few of our athletes and the 2021 Regional Championship at the end of the year with our full team."

Four Canadian boccia players have already qualified for Tokyo 2020 - Alison Levine, Iulian Ciobanu, Marco Dispaltro, and Danik Allard.

Dispaltro was a 2019 Canadian Boccia Championships gold medallist, and fellow national champions Éric Bussière, Hanif Mawji and Mike Mercer also make the team.

Marco Dispaltro, left, and Josh Vander Vies won Canada's last Paralympic medal - BC4 pairs bronze at London 2012 ©Getty Images
Marco Dispaltro, left, and Josh Vander Vies won Canada's last Paralympic medal - BC4 pairs bronze at London 2012 ©Getty Images

Lance Cryderman, Dave Richer, Hayley Redmond, Marylou Martineau, Éric Lefebvre, Philippe Lord and Joëlle Guérette complete the 14-person squad.

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, delayed by 12 months because of the pandemic, is the biggest event on the international boccia calendar this year.

London 2012 boccia bronze medallist Josh Vander Vies is set to be Canada's assistant Chef de Mission. 

The Boccia International Sports Federation is due to make a decision next month over the staging of the World Open in Povoa in Portugal - currently set for July.

Canada won boccia medals at both the London 2012 and Athens 2004 Paralympics.