Disabled supporters dream to the rhythm of the Paralympic Games – Libération

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Under the metal frames of the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris, there are hundreds of them leaning on the bar or sitting on the floor to follow the exploits of the athletes. With their eyes glued to the big screen at Club France, they watch live the blind football match won by the Blues against Turkey on Tuesday September 3. Mascots and tricolor flags accompany Sabine, 53, and her son Léo, 21. Both suffering from a disability, they are in the front row to follow the celebrations. “We closely followed the Olympic Games and then the Paralympic Games, we went to see several events as a family. The sites are legendary. They are sometimes difficult to access, but here at Club France everything is done so that we can experience this event with fervor. Sabine testifies, her eyes glued to the screen. Suddenly, a goal for the French team: far from the silence of the blind football stands (imposed on the public so as not to disturb the players), Sabine and her son smile at each other and shout with joy, in tune with the crowd. An intoxication that they share and which goes beyond the celebration of the sporting feat: they see it as a sign of inclusion, solidarity and hope.

“Feeling represented”

Wearing a Phryge, Léo is “in paradise”. He himself practices many disabled sports such as football, tennis and karate. Faced with competition, he allows himself to dream: “I want to participate in the Games… But what I want most of all is to be a flag bearer,” he says, firmly holding the plastic handle of his tricolor banner. The light dims, the spotlights shine on the podium, the jubilation begins. It’s time for the celebration, the arrival of the medalists from the day before. It is 9:45 p.m., Léo extends his hand to touch the parabadminton athletes: Lucas Mazur, gold medalist in singles (SL4) and bronze medalist in doubles with Faustine Noël, also present, and Charles Noakes, also Paralympic champion ( SH6).

Same enthusiasm for Noa and Mélène, 15 years old. The two friends met through disabled sports: one goes sailing, the other swims, both in Brest. They are one of the 24 envoys of the Handisport Ambassadors association: they participate in training in which they are taught to talk about disability and to advocate the values ​​of sport and inclusion. With sailor shirts in the colors of the association on their shoulders, their visit to Paris marks a two-year journey: “After meeting all the other ambassadors and learning their stories, you can feel represented when you see the Paralympic athletes. It’s important and we tell ourselves that we all have the same daily life.” rejoices Noa. This evening in Paris, at the heart of the festivities, is not just a moment of celebration for the two teenagers either. It offers them a shared dream: that of complete inclusion where sport becomes a vector of equality and recognition.

After the celebration, Sabine, thoughtfully, analyzes: “It’s not the fact that they’re all disabled that’s important, it’s really the performance that counts. Otherwise we are in pathos. They are people like any other, with different backgrounds and who do superb things.” An example that she imagines will be constructive for her son. This is also the observation made by Hermann, 46 years old. The Swiss, former disabled athlete and now wheelchair basketball and shot put coach, came to participate in “this great celebration”. “The organization is great, the party is beautiful, there are the medals. That’s all that matters, I don’t make a difference between the Olympic and Paralympic Games in that sense.” he said.

“Visibility on the subject of disability”

What appeals to Yanis and Angelo, 15 and 16 years old, is also the observation of a society which “seems to be moving forward” : “It warms my heart to see so many people at Club France, because disabled sports are starting to gain ground. When I arrived, I had the impression that we were at the Olympic Games, there were so many people, I’m happy to see that it’s not because we have a disability that we can’t be loved by people,” reassures Yanis.

Looking at this row of cheerful young people, Hermann takes a step back: “This is the time to have visibility on the subject of disability, and we hope that through these Games, the authorities can address the issue of disability and improve housing, accessibilitythe possibility of having adequate equipment.” Smiles appear when the volunteers start shouting the names of the bad players to the rhythm of the music. He adds: “The goal of these games is also to be able to make young people dream, to be able to give them this flame and show them that there are organizations within which they can practice sport, and why not become champions, who knows?”