The Blues of wheelchair basketball had no doubts about it. But when they arrived on Friday, August 30, at the Arena Bercy to warm up before their first group match against Canada and felt the fervor of the crowd, there was still a “wow” effect. In this same stadium, the room had vibrated with Victor Wembanyama’s team during the Olympic Games. Clearly, the soufflé has not died down for the Paralympic Games. The stands were packed to the rafters.
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Among the 12,000 spectators, the French were largely in the majority. Like Hélène, a basketball enthusiast, her husband Claudio (they did not wish to give their last names) and their two children, Julia, mascot of the Games in her hands, and Adrien, whistle around his neck to celebrate the baskets. The small family had traveled from Pau, the only slot before the start of the school year. “We are lucky to see a France match. And then, for us, it was important to show our children that even with a handicap, we can do great things.”explained Helen.
Jérémy Chény and Maxence Grados, with a box of popcorn on their knees, were impatient to see the French play: “It’s our first experience of wheelchair basketball. And seeing the French team on top of that is really a chance.” The attractiveness of the ticket price also plays a large part. “We just saw the women’s match between the United States and Germany. In total, for 40 euros, we’re going to have four hours of entertainment. It’s really cheap, so it doesn’t matter what the French team’s result is. It’s going to be great!”
In the stands, Canadians are rare. Philippe Chéssy painted three letters in red on his left cheek: CAN. But he also wore a jersey in the colors of France. “I encourage France, my host country, and Canada, my country of origin”he said with a smile. The 28-year-old, who is pursuing a doctorate in political science, had already seen wheelchair basketball demonstrations during an NBA game intermission. He had found “It’s much more impressive than basketball for able-bodied people”. Mathilde Halbout, her lawyer friend, also sports the three letters CAN on her cheek, but she did it for “to please him”His heart leans more towards the French.
The public, “this sixth man”
The match had not yet started and already the “Go Blues!” were chanted, a Marseillaise was improvised, not to mention the waves. In the stands, thousands of blue, white and red flags were waved, XXL portraits of the players, like those that had been discovered during the Olympic Games, were flying. Among them, that of Sofyane Mehiaoui, in the team since 2005, or that of Jérôme Laureri.
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