The Paris Paralympics are set to commence on Wednesday, marking the beginning of a momentous event in a city still basking in the afterglow of a triumphant Olympics. This edition of the Games promises to be a showcase of both emerging talents and seasoned veterans, all competing in some of the very venues that recently witnessed Olympic glory.
Eighteen of the 35 Olympic venues have been repurposed for the Paralympics, which will run until September 8. Among them is the Grand Palais, which was lauded for its hosting of fencing and taekwondo beneath its iconic, ornate roof. The La Défense Arena returns to host 141 gold-medal events in para-swimming, while the Stade de France will once again be the battleground for track and field events.
India’s presence at the Games is formidable, with an 84-member contingent prepared to compete across various sports, including badminton, athletics, and cycling. They will be supported by 95 officials, ensuring that the athletes’ specific needs are met, bringing the total Indian delegation to 179 members.
The Games will be inaugurated with a grand ceremony at Place de la Concorde, the heart of Paris, which previously served as the venue for skateboarding and other ‘urban’ sports during the Olympics. In a first for the Paralympics, the opening ceremony will be held away from the main stadium, echoing the innovation of the Olympic ceremony on the River Seine. The Paralympic flame, ignited at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England, the birthplace of the games, made its journey to France through the Channel Tunnel, symbolizing the deep roots and global reach of the Paralympic movement.
Thomas Jolly, the theatre director who masterminded both the Olympic and Paralympic opening ceremonies, emphasized the symbolic significance of staging the Paralympics ceremony in the very center of Paris. It highlights the stark reality that the city’s Metro system remains inaccessible to wheelchair users, despite the growing recognition of the need for inclusivity. In contrast, Paris’ buses have been lauded for their accessibility, and 1,000 specially adapted taxis have been deployed to ensure seamless transportation for all athletes and visitors.
While initial ticket sales were sluggish, the momentum has picked up since the conclusion of the Olympics, with over 1.9 million tickets sold. The decision to bring Paralympic athletes into the heart of Paris will surely be a powerful driver for greater accessibility and inclusion at all levels of society.
