“Since the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games, there has been a rush at the club gates”recognizes Jean-Marie Donatello, president of the Moselle Disabled Sports Committee, guest of France Bleu Lorraine, Friday October 4. In his Moulins-lès-Metz club, he already has twelve new licensees since the start of the school year, divided between armchair table tennis and boccia.
“We had brand images”, he explains. “The Aurélie Aubert phenomenon, in boccia, is comparable for parasport to the Lebrun brothers in table tennis. A certain number of people with disabilities who had never practiced, when they saw it on TV, they were say ‘and why not me?'”
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Put people on a waiting list
With these newcomers, Moselle disabled sports clubs find themselves facing two major problems: the new equipment to buy, often very expensive, and a need for volunteers. “We practice one for one”indicates Jean-Marie Donatello. “We absolutely need to have a volunteer who takes care of each person with a disability. If only to go and pick up the balls or be next to the ramp for those with severe disabilities.”
“It’s never happened to us, and I’m a little sorry about it, but we may have to put people on a waiting list”he regrets. “It’s still a shame to leave people at the doors of a gym.”
The president of the Moselle Disabled Sports Committee therefore launches a call to recruit new supervisors. “This is a crucial call because we did not anticipate the success in the clubs of these Olympic and Paralympic Games. And it is not only for parasport. In valid table tennis, they are at 20% more licensees since the start of the school year.”
“Our survival depends on valid clubs”
Jean-Marie Donatello also asks valid clubs “to open their doors” to people with disabilities. “Our survival depends on them”he assures. “If able-bodied clubs open up to disabled people in sporting activities, then we will be able to relieve the excess demand a little. This will also avoid having to travel 20, 30 or 40 kilometers to get to a club. With fifteen disabled sports structures in Moselle, it does not cover the territory.”
He announces the creation ofa material bank, at the city of sports and youth in Verny. “We make it available to able-bodied clubs so that they can introduce their volunteers and supervisors to disabled sports activities, and so that they can increase the capacity to accommodate people with disabilities,” he explains.
