Parsons: “Paris Games will push the Paralympic movement to the next level”

The Brazilian Andrew Parsonspresident of International Paralympic Committeeis confident in his speech welcoming 2024 that the The Paris Games “will push the Paralympic movement to the next level” to continue to grow and “create greater opportunities” for athletes with disabilities.

With just eight months to go, the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games are already leaving a legacy as French President Emmanuel Macron announced an investment of 1.6 billion euros in projects that will improve the lives of people with disabilities, while the Paris city council is taking important steps to improve accessibility.

“The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will propel our movement to the next level. In August, the eyes of the world will be on the Place de la Concorde for what will be a historic and incredible opening ceremony,” said Parsons, in his speech welcoming the year 2024.

“After two editions of the Games without spectators due to the pandemic, These Games are highly anticipated by athletes, of stakeholders, around the world, and we will see incredible action in incredible places near incredible places. Thanks to our National Paralympic Committees, International Federations and an IPC investment of more than €30 million over the past decade in membership development, it is likely that Paris will have a record number of participating teams, including a refugee team for the third consecutive Games,” he. noted.

“In all twenty-two sports, I expect sports performance to reach astronomical levels, thrilling crowds and billions of television viewers around the world. “These are the sporting performances that will change attitudes to the world’s 1.2 billion people with disabilities, creating greater opportunities for all in the long term,” he concluded.