🏅🌍 パリ2024パラリンピック競技大会のレガシーとインパクト
One year ago, the world turned its eyes to Paris and wow, what a show it was. The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games brought together 4,400 athletes, 22 sports and 549 medal events, all set against some of the most iconic backdrops in the world. Yep, we’re talking the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais, even the Chateau de Versailles. And as we celebrate the one year anniversary of the Games, it’s the perfect time to take a look at the legacy and the impact the event had beyond the field of play. The City of Paris used the Games as a launchpad for something bigger. Investing €125 million to make the city more accessible. That meant not just adapting the venues, but reimagining them like the Port de La Chapelle Arena. Not only did it host the action, it became a symbol of what world class inclusive design can look like. As the City of Paris described it to us, they really saw the opportunity of hosting the Paralympic Games to become an accessibility revolution within the city. And this is exactly the type of catalyst that we see in how Paralympic Games can be transformational. And so what that meant was they invested not only in aspects that you would expect for hosting a major sport event like making sport facilities more accessible, but they really saw beyond that in terms of transforming the city for their own citizens with disabilities. Paris made a huge effort to be accessible and inclusive for all. The city upgraded historic sports venues to make sure Para athletes could train comfortably and competitively long after the Closing Ceremony. That same commitment echoed through the school system. The City of Paris launched a plan to ensure every child is within 15 minutes of an accessible school. The pathway to disability inclusion doesn’t have a starting point and a finish line, like we see at the Games or in sport. It is a long process. And what the City of Paris did is they initiated that process and they used the Games to accelerate change for people with a disability. That’s real life, every day inclusion, and it’s reshaping what growing up in this city looks like for thousands of kids with disabilities. Getting to school, the pool or just around the neighbourhood is easier now too. With over 10,000 sound modules installed at traffic lights. People with vision impairments can navigate the city with more confidence and independence than ever before. And that ties into something even bigger, the rise of enhanced accessibility neighbourhoods. Imagine being able to access everything you need groceries, transport, culture, health care within a short walk. No matter your mobility. When we won the opportunity to organise the Games, we worked a lot with our stakeholders on the legacy of the Paralympics, and, of course, the City of Paris committed itself very strongly and specifically on the accessibility subject. They decided at that time to have more neighbourhoods in Paris that are totally accessible. And, today we have a concrete result about this strategy with 17 little neighbourhoods in each district of Paris that are totally accessible. When I say that, I’m thinking about the shops, the hotel, the restaurant, the theatre, the sports venue, which is very important to welcome, of course, people with disabilities and to facilitate their everyday life. It’s a long term programme. But it has been accelerated with the Paralympics, of course. And that kind of change doesn’t happen without serious backing. The French government is investing €1.5 billion in inclusion projects. That’s the ripple effect of hosting with purpose. And while we’re talking transformation, in just three years, the percentage of accessible municipal buildings jumped from 45% to 95%. That’s not a small tweak. That’s the inclusion revolution in action. And it’s not just about buildings. Getting around the city has taken a huge leap forward too. They focused specifically on overground transportation, making buses more accessible, bus stops. And so these are really important things, but also more work needs to be done. And that’s what we’d like to see now that the Games are complete, and looking ahead into how the Metro system can be made more accessible, and how the momentum that was created through Paris 2024 can continue long after the Games. There has been an announcement by the region Île-de-France, which is in charge of the Metro, to have an objective in a decade, of course, to be committed to have almost 100% accessible Metro in Paris. In a few years, all of transports, 100% will be fully accessible and the Paralympic Games have a role on it. But accessibility isn’t only infrastructural changes, it’s also about people. And that’s where inclusive sports clubs come in. In developing the “Club Inclusif” model, what they did was they did an assessment of clubs across France to see who was capable of welcoming and including people with a disability in their programming. And they found that only 1.4% of all sport clubs were actually able to support programming for people with a disability. 1.4%. That is a massive barrier to participation. The City of Paris set out to train 40 Para sport friendly clubs and smashed it with 44. That success, it’s now going nationwide, helping even more people with disabilities find a welcoming place to play, train and compete. If we continue like this, investing on sports and on Para sports, it will improve our facilities, our work quality and it will make our activity more professional. What Paris 2024 did in terms of focusing on Para sport development and creating the opportunity for more accessible and inclusive sport clubs has meant that there are now more opportunities for kids and adults with disabilities to participate in Para sport, and we can imagine that these could be the future stars and the future Paralympians that will show up in 2030, when French Alps hosts the Paralympic Winter Games. And let’s not forget the human touch. Over 5,000 volunteers were trained in disability awareness, with hundreds more focussed specifically on supporting accessibility. Showing that when a city leads with empathy, everyone wins. This has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. The Games ended a year ago, but the impact, that is still unfolding, every single day. Paris 2024 most definitely changed attitudes and perceptions towards people with disabilities. We saw that within the city of Paris, within France. But even on a global scale, in terms of people being able to engage and watch on TV. What the Paralympic Games show is what’s possible when barriers are removed. When you remove barriers to participation, people with a disability excel. And why can’t we apply that same thinking in all aspects of life? I hope that Paris 2024 leave a legacy where inclusion, where accessibility, representation and equality are not treated as a special feature but as a fundamental part of the society. Through the Paralympic Games, thanks to sport, I can show today that I have added value, that I am strong, that I am capable and that I can do great things thanks to my disability. That’s why we say: #ChangeStartsWithSport. And with the LA28 Games approaching in a few years, there’s an exciting chance to push disability inclusion even further. We’re really looking forward to what’s coming with LA 28 and what’s possible in terms of the type of change that we can see, the legacy that’s created in advancing disability inclusion within LA, within the US and on a global scale. We’re going to see incredible athletes stories come out of those Games. But even beyond that, we’re going to see the potential of the city and the wider scale of the country to really transform and turn their attention towards disability inclusion. My message to the next host city, Los Angeles, is: you have the incredible opportunity to build on the momentum of Paris 2024 and take inclusion to another level. Here’s to the legacy of the Paralympic Games, and to the hope that this inspires cities everywhere to dream bigger, build better, and include everyone. Because when we do that, that’s when the magic really happens.
One year after the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the legacy continues to shape the city through lasting improvements in accessibility and inclusion. Paris made a huge investment to upgrade public spaces, sports venues, and transportation systems. These efforts led to fully accessible neighbourhoods, enhanced training facilities, and over 10,000 sound modules installed at traffic lights to support people with vision impairments.
The city also ensured that every child is within 15 minutes of an accessible school and expanded inclusive sports programs through the “Club Inclusif” model. More than 5,000 volunteers were trained in disability awareness, helping to shift public attitudes and foster a more inclusive society.
This transformation has inspired future host cities to build on the momentum. With the LA28 Paralympic Games approaching, there is a unique opportunity to advance disability inclusion across Los Angeles, the United States, and globally. Paris 2024 demonstrated what is possible when accessibility becomes a priority, setting a powerful example for the future.
The International Paralympic Committee’s vision is to make for an inclusive world through Para sport. Our mission is to lead the Paralympic Movement, oversee the delivery of the Paralympic Games and support members to enable Para athletes to achieve sporting excellence.
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