Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games gold medallist Bruno Garneau has been added to Canada’s boccia team for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games ©Matthew Murnaghan/CPC

Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games gold medallist Bruno Garneau has been added to Canada’s boccia team for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, it has been announced.

Garneau replaces the injured Paul Gauthier, who along with Éric Bussière was a team-mate in Canada’s BC3 mixed pairs success at Toronto 2015.

A London 2012 Paralympian, Garneau is a veteran of the sport and has been a national team member since 2010.

"It's unfortunate that Paul will not be able to compete with us in Rio," said head coach Mario Delisle.

"Paul has been a leader in our programme for 20 years and this would have been his sixth Paralympic Games.

"We are lucky though, to have a player of Bruno's calibre, ready to step up for Canada."

Bruno Garneau has replaced Paul Gauthier (pictured), who is unable to compete at Rio 2016 due to injury ©CPC
Bruno Garneau has replaced Paul Gauthier (pictured), who is unable to compete at Rio 2016 due to injury ©CPC

Last month, Boccia Canada and the Canadian Paralympic Committee nominated six players on the team for Rio 2016, four of which will make their Paralympic debut during the event.

Marylou Martineau and Bussière will join Garneau in the BC3 event, while Alison Levine and Iulian Ciobanu will participate in the BC4 competition.

London 2012 Paralympic bronze medallist Marco Dispaltro has also been chosen to represent Canada, and like Bussière, will head to Rio off the back of a silver medal-winning performance at the World Open in Povoa de Varzim in Portugal in June.

Boccia at Rio 2016 will be held at Carioca Arena 2. 

The programme consists of four individual events, two pairs events, and one team event, spread across four classifications.