“I who didn’t know disabled sports very well, I really loved it” entrusts Charles, a dapper retired white-Mesnilois. “By practicing wheelchair basketball or para judo, you put yourself in the place of an athlete with a disability and you discover that they need excellent coordination, trusting your partner…”. Registered “Wishing to lend a hand” to the device All volunteersthe 60-year-old took part with other Séquano-Dionysien∙ne∙s in a quiz on the history of disabled sport then experienced training in disabled basketball, judo and blind sprint.
A complete course to prepare for the JOP
“Volunteers can follow three different training courses until 2024 on first aid, equipment linked to major sporting events and disabled sports, which corresponds to today’s session” explains Amandine Renault, project manager at the Delegation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the departmental entity which coordinated the event with Paris 2024.
Some of the participants have thus discovered the future infrastructures (Athletes’ Village, aquatic center construction site, etc.) around Saint-Denis and are preparing volunteering actions related to sport.
Thomas, 24, a volunteer from Villemomble, is still a little confused by his para-judo experience. “You are in complete darkness and you have to take all your bearings on the other person, which requires a good visualization of the space” confesses the physiotherapy student, admiring the performances of disabled athletes.
The young man was able to attend with his friends the sprint of Timothy Adolphe, blind world vice-champion of the 100 meters in athletics. Guided by a rubber band by his guide, the “white cheetah” flashed through the gymnasium of the Gustave-Eiffel University of Champs-sur-Marne. “Parasport remains relatively unknown in France, training volunteers in these activities and communicating will increase their visibility” he breathes. “I hope that the JOP will raise awareness about the accessibility of public spaces, it is very important for us”.
A diploma of aptitude for welcoming people with disabilities
After the sports activities, the volunteers were greeted by Emmanuel Constant, vice-president in charge of education and the JOP. Romain, a Noise volunteer and electronics student, was awarded the book “Success, the determination of Timothée Adolphe” for his good results on the track. “The atmosphere is super good with the participants and I was impressed by the simplicity of the athletes present: Nadia Salhi, Paralympic swimming champion in 1984, judoka Laurie Billeret…” he declares.
Like the 150 contributors present, the young man was awarded a diploma of aptitude for welcoming people with disabilities, which is added to the PSC1 certificate (first aid) obtained there. a few months old. “With this training, we add a line to our CV and it’s always good for our future” adds his friend Traoré, resident in Aulnay-sous-Bois, delighted by the diversity and fluidity of exchanges within the group.
Like Traoré, Romain, Thomas and the others dream of being selected to take part in missions during the Games. “I would advise them to increase volunteering actions within sports clubs” suggests Benjamin Jéremiasz, director of the SSE enterprise I’m big and coordinator of activities with the association Like the others. Advice that volunteers should follow to the letter, all convinced, like Charles, that “Experiencing the Olympic Games from the inside is a once-in-a-lifetime golden opportunity! ».
Photo credit: Bruno Levy
