“Paralympic sport is better than ever”

WithWith just six months left until the curtain rises on the Paris Paralympics, Andrew Parsons (Rio de Janeiro 1977) analyzes in MARCA why The next event “has the potential to be the most spectacular in history and take the Paralympic movement to the next level.”. President of the International Paralympic Committee, who speaks excellent Spanish, He avoids no issue, neither Russian involvement nor security, and focuses on the legacy they will leave.

Ask. What are you looking forward to in the six months leading up to the Paralympic Games in Paris (28 August to 8 September)?

Reply. These Games have the potential to become the most spectacular in history. Paralympic sport is better than ever. In addition, there is the effect of Paris, an incredible city where the competition will take place in iconic settings. It was as if the city had adopted Paralympic sports. And the third reason is the impact they will have on the world. They were seen in 160 countries (Tokyo had 156), and more media outlets than ever were interested in them. For the first time, we had to set accreditation quotas for each country.

Paris Games could be the best in history

Andrew Parsons, CPI President

Q. What message will they send to the world?

R. This is a double message. On the one hand, peace and union. We are all different and believe in different things, but in sports we are together. Why not extrapolate the values ​​of sport to others? On the other hand, we are different, but we are athletes who, if given the opportunity, can succeed. We want to change the world through Games and show the way.

Question: You have repeatedly said that these Games will take the Paralympic movement to a new level. In what sense?

R. The future of sports lies between entertainment and purpose. Our movement wants to make the world more inclusive through sport and let people know that we are a disability rights movement, but we also want to show that our sport is fun and exciting. Paris will become a bridge to the future.

We want to change the world through the Paralympic Games and show the way

Andrew Parsons, CPI President

Question. Both the Olympic and Paralympic Games will have opening ceremonies outside the stadium (the first on the Seine, the second along the Champs-Élysées and ending at the Place de la Concorde). What do you think about this idea?

R. I love that we are marching along the Champs Elysees, in the heart of Paris. We will take to the streets, and people’s support will become more tangible. It doesn’t bother us that they are different ceremonies because the concept is the same. We don’t want the same thing as the Olympic Games, we want the same result from the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee that proposed this idea to us.

Question. This is your first time using the emblem and mascot. Is this another step towards equality?

R. Yes, our athletes deserve the same things as Olympians, but we want to tell our own story so that people understand that they can have a different experience at each Games. That’s why I invite all Spaniards to go to the Paralympic Games, because you are very close to France. Tickets are very cheap. Half costs 25 euros or less. And for all sports, tickets start at 15.

“Russians and Belarusians will participate in the Paris Games as neutrals”

Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee

Q. Are you concerned about safety? Yesterday (Tuesday) it became known that a flash drive with information about the security plans for the Games was stolen.

R. This is not a cause for concern, but a point of attention, because Paris has suffered from terrorism and has had problems at some sporting events, but the Tour de France always ends without problems on the Champs-Élysées. The French have experience in this and we are working with Paris 2024 and the French security forces.

Question: Earlier you spoke about peace and union. Will we see Russian and Belarusian athletes neutral?

R. Yes, their participation as neutral representatives was approved by the General Assembly, but now the Executive Committee must report on the conditions of selection, beyond the question of flags and anthems. We will announce this in a few weeks. What is certain is that there will be no neutral teams; those who go will compete individually.

Q: What legacy would you like these Games to leave?

R. Changing society’s views on people with disabilities, especially in France. That’s why we pay special attention to children and families when selling tickets, as we want them to grow up with a more inclusive mentality. This part is intangible heritage.

We felt some disappointment about the accessibility of the Paris metro because making all stops on the line accessible required a huge investment and was not achieved. But 125 million euros have been invested in ground transport. Another important legacy is the Club Inclusif project of the French Paralympic Committee, which united 3,000 clubs throughout France inclusive. It’s an incredible legacy that people with disabilities can play sports in their community. We want to replicate this in other countries in the future.