Andrew Parsons

Paris, Aug 28 (PL) - The president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Brazilian Andrew Parsons, reiterated his full confidence in the success of the Paralympics in Paris, whose opening ceremony will leave a mark on the city.

At a press conference, Parsons said that the event will be the most spectacular in history after the experience of the Olympic Games and that it will be a party in the French capital due to the intense atmosphere created for the occasion.

According to the executive, Paralympic sport is experiencing its strongest moment and many fans will want to enjoy the event, scheduled to last until September 8.

In addition, he anticipated that the opening show, in the emblematic Square of Concorde, will have many surprises.

“It's going to be incredible because the location is incredible. It's going to be something like the city giving a hug to Paralympic sport. We see it as a giant hug to our athletes. It's going to be a traditional ceremony in a non-traditional setting,” he said.

Parsons highlighted the possibility of this great event to strengthen the interaction between the public and the athletes, and the steps taken in terms of accessibility to disabled people in the city.

According to the head of the IPC, the French government announced an investment of 1.5 billion euros in inclusion and accessibility throughout the country, only in Paris the figure reaches 125 million.

He also admitted his “disappointment” about the warlike conflicts that plague some parts of the world and expressed his hope for the need to recover peace and coexistence, which are inherent to the Paralympic Village.

Looking ahead to the Paralympics in Los Angeles 2028, he pointed out the opportunity for the IPC to have a greater presence in the Americas with the support of the International Olympic Committee and the organizers.

For Parsons, the Games are the only event in the world, with global impact, that puts people with disabilities at the center of everything and this time with a record number of 168 delegations.

In this regard, he announced that the IPC and Unesco will organize the International Conference on Disability Inclusion: Harnessing the Transformative Impact of Para Sport, with the presence of several government ministers.

The main objective of this event will be to launch a series of actions aimed at promoting rights and opportunities for the 1.3 billion people with disabilities in the world