PARALYMPIC GAMES – The rules have changed, so the crowd has adapted. On Monday, September 2, the sublime temporary stadium of the Eiffel Tower hosted a match between France and Brazil as part of the second day of the men’s blind football tournament. And as you can see in our video at the top of the article, Despite a defeat (3-0) for the French players, the crowd found a way to support them throughout the match.
2024 Paralympic Games: wheelchair rugby, blind football… Review the rules of team sports
Blind football is intended for para-athletes with a visual impairment, and is played five against five on a 40 x 20 m pitch. To help blind or partially sighted players find their way, the ball contains bells, which is why absolute silence is required in the stands and around the pitch when it is in play.
Except that for the 11,000 spectators who attended Monday night’s match, containing their fervor in the middle of the match was not always easy, as the Olympic website points out. So the organizers found a way for the crowd to let off steam, with a silent, slow-motion wave when the ball is in play.
A concept that was very popular with supporters, judging by the numerous videos of the special blind football wave on social networks. “It’s magic, everyone did it naturally!” exclaims one Internet user in the comments. The discreet wave actually went around the field several times, in broad daylight but also once the Eiffel Tower was lit up. A spectacle as beautiful as it was original.
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