It is an appointment that haunts the thoughts of Marie-Amélie Le Fur. Guest on the show Europe 1 Sports (live every evening from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Europe 1), the president of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee is masterfully preparing the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which will take place following the Olympic Games on August 28 to September 8, 2024. For the nine-time Olympic champion, who has had her leg amputated since the age of 15, this event is an opportunity to raise awareness of disability issues. The two main objectives of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be to “work on the recognition of athletes with disabilities and to leave a lasting legacy” for this event.
Raising collective awareness
The former disabled athlete relies on the active participation of the media to put the Paralympic competitions in the spotlight. “It’s a moment when we can collectively manage to raise awareness of the issues of inclusion,” said Marie-Amélie Le Fur at the microphone of Jacques Vendroux. Working hand in hand with Tony Estanguet, president of the Organizing Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Cojo), the former disabled athlete hopes to see a French audience at the rendezvous. “We work very well with Tony since from the start, in his vision, he really wants to ensure that the Paralympic Games are brought to the same height as the Olympic Games”, explained the president of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee.
The latter, however, regrets the lack of knowledge of the French about Paralympic sport. But, optimistically, Marie-Amélie Le Fur hopes to improve this knowledge through the organization of various events such as the Paralympic day which will take place next October: “We will have a great highlight in the fall with the Paralympic day then the opening of the Paralympic ticket office. It’s really a time when we want to work with the French public to tell them come to the Paralympic Games, don’t be afraid to discover a disability.”
A reassessed medal objective
The President of the Paralympic Committee has also revised the objective of the number of medals to be won during these Paris Games upwards. Only 14th in the general classification of delegations at the Tokyo Games in 2021, the tricolor athletes had managed to win 54 medals. A rank that Marie-Amélie Le Fur wishes to improve to give more attractiveness to disabled sport in France. “I want the French Paralympic team to succeed in these Games, that is to say to enter the top 10 nations. This means winning around fifteen gold medals”, announced the president of the Paralympic committee.
For this, French athletes will therefore have to double their number of gold medals won compared to the previous Olympic Games. A high goal but not impossible for Marie-Amélie Le Fur who will be present as close as possible to the athletes during this event. “The Paralympic Games make me vibrate. I will be happy to be in the stands to encourage this French team”, ended up concluding the former disabled sports champion.