Sport creates social bonds. With a Paralympic title obtained this summer in badminton, Lucas Mazur is taking advantage of the last months of the year to take a breather. On this occasion, he returned to Touraine, to Artannes-sur-Indre, where his parents lived. A municipality to which he expresses his gratitude: « The Artannes town hall helped me financially in my professional beginnings. I even have the keys to the gym available. I am very grateful »he thanks.
Son of a table tennis father and a basketball mother, sport has always been an outlet for him. « I was teased at school because of my disability. Sport was my zone of development, of emancipation. On the ground, no one talked to me about a disability, and I made everyone miserable. »remembers Lucas Mazur.
“The breath of the Olympics has subsided”
He also had victories last summer during the Paralympic Games. At 27, he won a new gold medal in a supercharged atmosphere. « It's been a dream. I never thought that a Paralympic competition could be sold out, with such an atmosphere. It's the best memory of my career »relates the athlete.
Lucas Mazur was titled in the SL4 category, which includes « standing athletes with a slight disability »describes the Frenchman. At the age of 3, he suffered a stroke which left him with after-effects on his right ankle. « Half of my body was paralyzed. I had to switch from right-handed to left-handed »he describes.
With a certain perseverance and a pronounced taste for sport, Lucas Mazur reached the grail at the Games. A title which led to sudden media coverage that was far from obvious. « The start of the post-Olympic period was difficult. We are not prepared for such notoriety »remembers the badista. However, this spotlight has been beneficial for disability according to him: « It raised awareness and a certain liberation for many people to see athletes, with severe disabilities, practicing a discipline. »
“Encourage diversity”
Despite this great visibility for sport and disability, the period following the Games sounds like disillusionment. « The breath of the Olympics has subsided. The legacy is not there. The elimination of the two additional hours of sports in college is an aberration »castigates the Paralympic champion. However, with the hosting of the Olympic Games, he highlights the positive impact for people with disabilities. « We feel that clubs are more and more willing to have a section for disabled people. New gymnasiums have been made with regard to accessibility »shares the Paralympic athlete.
For him, practicing sport is essential in everyone's life. « The benefits are numerous: health, pleasure, but also social connection”lists Lucas Mazur. He also campaigns to develop a mixed practice between able-bodied and disabled people. « When possible, we must encourage it! It's great to mix, it creates social bonds, and it raises awareness about disability »values Lucas Mazur, who regularly participates in competitions against able-bodied athletes.
However, he remains aware of the obstacles that could limit this sharing, such as equipment costs or the type of disability. “ The severity of the disability limits the choice of possibilities “, he admits. But Lucas Mazur targets another important difficulty: « The big downside is transportation. Practitioners often come with their personal vehicles, but not everyone has a suitable car. The question of transport has a direct impact on practice. Beyond adapting the sport, you need to be able to access it. »
