SPORT – He ardently defends his point. On the set of Daily This Monday, September 2, judoka Teddy Riner, who added two gold medals to his formidable list of achievements at the Paris Olympics, explained why he considered para-athletes as “superhero”. A position which had been criticised by some of the main interested parties.
On August 13, the judoka had in fact described on RTL the para-athletes as “ superhero » or even of« Avengers ». Remarks deemed “ clumsy » et “infantilizing” by high-level athletes with disabilities who would like to be “considered normal people” whose sporting performances are praised, as for the able-bodied.
« What you do is extraordinary. »
Sofyane Mehiaoui, a member of the French wheelchair basketball team, took the adjectives used by Riner particularly badly: “You really need to stop talking about us like that, you’re not helping us!!!” he had reacted strongly on X to Teddy Riner. And added: “We are not superheroes, we are athletes.”
Asked by Yann Barthès about these criticisms made by para-athletes, Teddy Riner initially sighed. ” Got it [ces réactions] and I didn’t understand”he said before continuing: “That’s my personal opinion. That’s how I see them, even if they don’t like it.” This before supporting his point: “What they’re doing is just extraordinary. Even though some people say, ‘I want to be considered differently.’ No, guys, I’m sorry, what you’re doing is extraordinary.”hammered the five-time Olympic champion.
Believing that he would never reach such a sporting level and “would be at rock bottom” with a physical disability, he abounds: “It’s already complicated when you have all your limbs, so when you have less… The mental energy you need…” Before concluding: “They are superheroes, you either like it or you don’t.”
Also see on Le HuffPost :
2024 Paralympic Games: Gabriel dos Santos Araujo, pool star, scores stunning hat-trick in Paris
Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: Charles Noakes wins para-badminton gold
