They came from all over France to get together and practice their favorite sport this Saturday October 26 and Sunday October 27. About fifty small people were present at the Torreilles Sports Hall for the “sports weekend” organized by the association of Small People (APPT) and the Le Volant salanquais club.
Behind the net, Lila, 13, holds her badminton racket tightly. She rushes and hits the shuttlecock which she sends towards her opponent, Maxime, another small person. She participates in this sports weekend every year: “Ici we can play sports without being judgedwe are free and we are surrounded by people who understand our illness because we all have the same pathology.”
On the basketball court Joris, paratriathlete, came try sports that he never practices against people of classic size because that “would put me in danger because they are twice my weight… here we can let go and really have fun“.
“Attendance has doubled compared to last year”
The sports weekend for short people is a first for Joris and he is not the only one, since the Paralympic Games There are several of them putting on their sneakers for the first time. Nathalie Meunier, vice president of the APPT, notes that “Attendance has doubled compared to last year”.
So if during this weekend short people practice among themselves, most are licensed in clubs with people of classic height. Roland has noticed since this summer a different look at his disability : “I think we weren’t seen very well, whereas now people have accepted to see the Paralympic Games. We have less of this feeling of being different and we are less uncomfortable when we must go out for example.”
However, several athletes explain that they are still too demeaned and compared to television characters known to the general public such as those of Fort Boyard or from Josephine guardian angel. They therefore hope that this “JO effect” will continue for that the outlook on short people changes sustainably.
Margaux Munoz
