Paris seeks to make athletes' village an accessible 'paradise' for Paralympians

RFI

29 August 2024 at 8:06 am·2-min read

From ramps to a prosthetics repair centre, organisers of the 2024 Paris Paralympics say they've integrated a raft of features to make the athletes' village a model of accessibility in a country where facilities for people with disabilities remain overlooked.

The athletes' village was designed with accessibility in mind, according to organisers, and has undergone further modifications since its Olympic tenants moved out earlier this month.

Located in the northern suburbs of Paris and set to host up to 4,400 Paralympians, the complex is crisscrossed by accessible roads, pavements and ramps.

It also includes less obvious accessibility features, such as electrical outlets installed at a comfortable height for wheelchair users.

While some were built in from the start, others have been added in the transition from Olympic to Paralympic village. Organisers had roughly a week to cover up uneven floors with mats, fit grab bars and seats in showers, install specialised training equipment in the gym, and space out chairs and tables in the canteen to make more room for wheelchairs.

Also proving popular is a fleet of motorised devices that connect to the front of wheelchairs, giving users a power boost.

Ludivine Munos, a former Paralympic swimmer who now is now in charge of inclusion efforts for Paris 2024, called the village a "paradise" for para-athletes.

She remembers limited facilities during her own time competing, with only certain areas adapted for people with disabilities.

"That's not the case here. They can go everywhere that they want," she told the Associated Press.

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