The President of the International Paralympic Committee’s official visit to Paris

The new President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Andrew Parsons, received Republican honours during his first visit to Paris, the host city of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Following a day’s work in Lausanne with the delegation for the 2024 Paris Games led by Emmanuelle Assmann, Tony Estanguet and Etienne Thobois- Andrew Parsons, President of the IPC and Xavier Gonzalez, Executive Director of the IPC, were received in Paris for a day of work involving exchanges with the organisers of the Paris 2024 project and visits of  several major Paralympic sites.

The two directors of the IPC began their visit at the Hôtel de Matignon for a meeting with Edouard Philippe, the Prime Minister. The meeting allowed them to revisit the Paris 2024 project, including its Paralympic aspect, as well as the ambition of all participants to make the Paralympic Games a real accelerator, especially in terms of sports for all, accessibility and the change of perspective on disability.

For this occasion, Andrew Parsons had the opportunity to exchange views with many participants of the Paris 2024 project, which included the Minister of Sports, Laura Flessel, the Secretary of State for people with disabilities, Sophie Cluzel, the President of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee, Emmanuelle Assmann, the Co-President of the 2024 Paris Games, Bernard Lapasset, the General Director of the 2024 Paris Games, Etienne Thobois, and the Director of Sports for the 2024 Paris Games, Jean-Philippe Gatien.

After the meeting, the delegation visited Dora Maar College, located in Saint-Denis (93), which is in close proximity to the site where the Athletes’ Village will be built for the 2024 Games. The President of the IPC, Andrew Parsons, the Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, and members of the 2024 Paris delegation took part in several workshops dedicated to Paralympic disciplines such as Boccia and Wheelchair Basketball.

Amongst the students of the 2024 generation and the Paralympic athletes like Marie-Amélie Le Fur (Athletics), David Smétanine (Swimming), Perle Bouge (Rowing) and Gwladys Lemoussu (Triathlon), they were able to discuss the challenges that the Paris 2024 participants have set themselves for the coming years.

At the end of the first ground visit, some of the delegation visited the Cité du Cinéma, the heart of the future Olympic and Paralympic Athletes’ Village. Designed to accommodate all athletes in 2024, it has been seen as ideal design for accessibility. Located less than 2km from the future aquatic centre and the Stade de France, it will welcome 4,500 athletes for the Paralympic Games.

The official visit continued at the Eiffel Tower, where the Paris 2024 delegation identified from the top to the IPC directors, a number of competition venues for the Paralympic Games, such as the Champ de Mars (5-a-side football), les Invalides (Archery), or Roland-Garros (Wheelchair Rugby, Wheelchair Football and Wheelchair basketball).

Finally, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, received the delegation for an official meeting before unveiling, alongside the many athletes present, the Agitos (the symbol of the Paralympic Games) on the square of the Hôtel de Ville.

Andrew Parsons, the President of the IPC, was delighted about his Paris visit: “I am delighted to be present in Paris, the host city of the 2024 Games, to discover the project and the city and country’s vision for the Paralympic Games. During the campaign, it was a pleasure to see the strong commitment of Paralympic athletes to all stages of the project. The Games are a unique opportunity to see sports acting on society. The Paralympic Movement wants to be a partner of Paris 2024 by sharing this ambition.”

What a Friday in Paris!! Can you believe we did all that in one day? In the morning, meeting… https://t.co/3lQJESbSG6

— Andrew Parsons (@parsonsandrew) 11 novembre 2017

An important moment for the French Paralympic Movement as explained by Emmanuelle Assmann, the President of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee (CPSF): “The visit of Andrew Parsons, the President of the International Paralympic Committee, is a strong message for the French Paralympic Movement and testifies to a complete unity between the organisation of the 2024 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Paris. The French Paralympic and Sports Committee is more mobilised than ever alongside the Organising Committee to make these Games an exemplary project with a strong legacy that goes beyond the sporting dimensions.”

Photo Credits: @Paris2024