“A real source of pride for Lombardy. We will let you feel our support and our closeness. Our entire community is proud of you”. This is how the regional councillor for Family, Social Solidarity, Disability and Equal Opportunities, Elena Lucchini, extends her ‘good luck’ to the Lombardy Paralympic athletes involved in the Paris Games from August 28th to September 8th.
The Lombardy representation, Lucchini recalls, which counts 35 participants, “is the largest within the Italian delegation. “We are the most represented territory – he observes – and this is also a source of pride for us. As well as satisfaction, because it demonstrates the attention that our sports centers dedicate to this movement”.
5 circles, fair recognition
Sweat, effort, commitment, results. For the person in charge of Disability at Palazzo Lombardia, “these are values that deserve the right recognition. I hope, she says, “that this second phase of the Games has the media coverage it deserves also on TV, newspapers and digital media. I know that the Olympics are an international event with its rules and its governing and disciplinary bodies. I would like that in the future also the Paralympics could boast the symbol of the five rings”.
Currently, in fact, the Paralympic logo represents three ‘agitos’ (from the Latin agito, meaning I move) in blue, red and green, the three most used colours in the flags of the countries of the world.
The debate starts from Italy
“It is a beautiful symbol, with a profound meaning,” Lucchini begins, but “the ‘five rings’ are more immediately recognizable and linked to that great sporting event represented by the Olympics. Using them also for athletes with disabilities – he observes – in my opinion could be a further element of inclusion, because the athletic feats of these kids have nothing to envy compared to those of their able-bodied colleagues. Indeed, they are the demonstration of how commitment, passion and dedication can be stronger even than any physical limitations”.
An idea, concludes Councilor Lucchini, “on which we could think. It would be nice if the debate started right from Italy, the country that first hosted the Summer Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960”.
