PARIS (Reuters) – Over 160 countries have committed to broadcasting the Paris 2024 Paralympics, reflecting the growing interest in the event, organizers announced on Wednesday.
The statement from Paris 2024 highlighted that these games will be historic as they will be the first Paralympic Games to offer live coverage from all 22 sports. This surpasses the 19 sports broadcast at Tokyo 2020 and the 15 sports shown live at Rio 2016.
The President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Andrew Parsons, expressed his confidence that this broader coverage would help shift attitudes toward disability.
Parsons told Reuters, “The Paralympic movement is probably better than ever before in terms of sport performances.”
He also praised Paris as a host city, emphasizing its iconic venues and landmarks, with some venues situated close to famous sites. Parsons believed that the games would look spectacular against the backdrop of Paris.
Noting the unique setting, he mentioned that the opening ceremony would take place outside of a stadium, specifically on the Champs Elysees and the Place de la Concorde, showcasing Paris’s embrace of the Paralympic movement.
However, Paris does face an accessibility challenge, particularly in the limited number of metro stations designed to accommodate people with disabilities.
Parsons acknowledged this issue, stating that it becomes a significant focal point during the Paralympics. To address this, authorities have implemented solutions and alternatives to improve accessibility in the overground transport system, with an investment of 125 million euros over three years.
This investment aims to make bus stops, routes, and vehicles more accessible, ensuring that during the Games, there will be 1,000 accessible taxis available in Paris.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
