Volunteers even more involved in the Paralympic Games

Recognizable by their green outfits and their highly coveted bobs, the army of 15,000 volunteers mobilized for the Paralympic Games includes students, working people and retirees, equally between men and women. Some are even disabled, like the athletes participating in this act 2 of the Olympic events. As for the Olympic Games, all the volunteers did not hesitate to dedicate part of their vacation to this global event with a single goal: to ensure that the Paralympic Games take place in the best possible way for the athletes and the public.

Having come by bus from Toulouse, Antonin is proud to have been selected from among the 300,000 candidates who applied. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to volunteer for the Games, whether Olympic or Paralympic! ” emphasizes this 18-year-old law student.

So, whether it was handling ticketing, directing spectators, assisting journalists or leading sports delegations, all the volunteers mobilised for the Paralympics were keen to carry out their missions, even more so than during the Olympic Games.

“A unique opportunity to support people with disabilities”

«I took part in the Olympic Games, but I also wanted to do the Paralympics, because it’s interesting to take care of all the athletes. “, explains Christelle, a forty-year-old working in real estate. For her, this second round of the games is therefore “the unique opportunity to support people with disabilities“According to François C, a sports physiotherapist who is the supervisor of the road cycling volunteer team, “Between the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games there is no difference in terms of volunteers, whether in terms of availability, attention or missions.” Before continuing, ” As proof, many volunteers who have already participated in the Olympic Games did not hesitate to extend the adventure for the Paralympics. ».

This is particularly the case of Pascal L., retired after 37 years of managing an Ehpad (Accommodation establishment for dependent elderly people) in a retirement home, already assigned to the men’s and women’s marathons during the Olympic Games. Initially, I was not a candidate for the Paralympic Games for calendar and financial reasons, because I come from Dauphiné and the cost of train tickets and accommodation was high for me. But when I saw that there was a lack of volunteers for some Paralympic events, I organized myself to be there too “, he explains while ensuring the management of the shear point (pedestrian crossing) on ​​the Paralympic road cycling events.

“It was deserted on my section!”

Although the milestone of 2.3 million tickets sold (out of the 2.5 million put on the market) was reached for the Paralympic Games, in some places, the public was not there. For example, on the route of the Paralympic road cycling course.On my section, it was deserted! With the rain, it happened that we were the only supporters of the athletes and that’s not necessarily what you see on TV ” says Liza B., a medical consultant who is a volunteer for the first time at sports competitions.

Wearing the famous plastic poncho and fluorescent green vest provided to all volunteers assigned to outdoor events, she is responsible for alerting other volunteers of each athlete’s passage, using a whistle. As soon as she can, she shouts “ Come on, come on, courage ” to encourage the athletes. The same goes for the other volunteers located all along the course, who do not hesitate to do the “wave” or improvise little choreographies to create a good atmosphere and support all the athletes.

They have not forgotten this video broadcast during the volunteers’ convention which took place at the Nanterre Arena last March, of this English volunteer having done a “check” with the king Usain Bolt, during the London Olympics in 2012, just before winning his title of champion in the 100 meters.

Make sure there is no more difference

« Athletes with disabilities are just like everyone else. Personally, they make me want to do even more,” enthuses Pascal L. who assures that “Paralympic athletes are more accessible, more available “For him, as for most of the volunteers mobilized for the Paralympics, ” The ideal would be for all the Olympic events to take place at the same time, so that there would no longer be any difference».

For some, these games are also about discovering the rules of disciplines they don’t know, such as blind football, a version of football played by athletes with a visual impairment, with a ball that makes a sound as it rolls.

“A human adventure”

Even though there were some hiccups with the bus timetables or the distribution of rations, most of the volunteers felt that they had experienced a “historic moment» et «even a human adventure “, says Bernadette, a banker from Pau. She adds, “that between the connections with the gendarmerie teams and the national or municipal police, the kindness of the local residents who offer us coffee, the compliments from spectators and public figures, we felt very privileged».

Some volunteers are already thinking about registering for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will take place in Lombardy (Milan) and Veneto (Cortina).

On the return shuttle that connects zone 4 of the road cycling course and the Vert Galant RER, the volunteers sing in chorus this improvised hymn against the backdrop of La Samaritaine, “At the Paralympic Games, on my way to perform, I came across a team ready to do anything, they were the volunteers, I will never forget them.” Proof that the spirit of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will continue!