Paris changes as the Paralympics get ready to arrive

The city of Paris is known for many things – luxury brands, renowned artists and iconic architecture – but getting around with a disability has, until recently, been difficult.

Before Paris was awarded the Games in 2017, organisers put accessibility at the centre of their bid, promising “accessible infrastructure and attitudes befitting the most visited country on Earth”. It anticipated 35,000 disabled fans this summer and promised shuttle buses and accessible taxis.

The city has made improvements – bus routes and tram lines are wheelchair accessible and the city has also improved public facilities in 17 districts with new ramps, tactile strips and designated parking spots.

Very few of the 16 metro lines are fully wheelchair-accessible, but it’s a start, which is what the Paralympic Games can provide for a host city. It’s a tournament not just for the best athletes to compete on a global stage, but also an opportunity to teach cities how to improve accessibility.

The World Health Organisation estimated that in 2023, 16 per cent of the world’s population had a form of severe disability and more than 50 per cent over 60 years old have some form of impairment. But with the right support, many of these people can still travel.

Surveys verified by the Open Doors Organisation – an Illinois, US-based disability services organisation – estimated disabled travellers represented a nearly $US60 billion ($99.7 billion) market in 2023.

“The Paralympics goes beyond just elite athletes with disability who play sport,” Alcott says. “It is just such a great medium to change perceptions in education, in universities, in employment, in social aspects of life, in travel.”

He has already seen some clear changes in Paris, including a disability line for spectators, ramps, and commentary for people who are blind. He’s also been told the athletes’ village was ready to go.

Finding money

In 2024, Australia will be represented by 160 athletes at the Paralympics, which start on August 28: 152 athletes with an impairment, two athletics guides, two boccia ramp operators, two cycling pilots, one triathlon guide and one rowing coxswain.

They will be supported by 198 staff, including two handlers for the triathlon.

Funding, as usual, is still an issue. The Australian Olympic team used its final press conference to call for more funding, but the costs are much higher for the Australian Paralympic team because they need more support for travel.

The Paralympic team has raised enough money to get to Paris, but future events are always uncertain. Interim Paralympics Australia chief executive Cameron Murray said the team had to raise about one-third of its funding from commercial partners and fundraising endeavours. It had improved, he said, but there was still a way to go.

“Equal funding doesn’t necessarily mean equality because there is high travel costs,” Mr Murray said. “The team size is larger because we require a lot more support for people with disability. A $10 donation to an able-bodied person is very different to the support that we need for our Australian Paralympians.”

In Tokyo, when no one could come to watch the Paralympians, the organisation launched a virtual seating program. It raised $2 million in a few weeks. Mr Murray said Paralympics Australia was launching the program again, this time giving businesses the option to buy virtual boxes as a tax- deductable donation.

“The success of virtual seats is critical,” he said. “We’re calling on all of Australia to support our Paralympic athletes to make sure that we can get them to LA and then beyond that, get them to Brisbane.

“I’d be lying to say that we wouldn’t want to do three times around with the preparation that we’ve got.”

For those in the stands, Alcott said there would be plenty to watch. He is most looking forward to defending medallists Madison di Rosario and Curtis McGrath as well as swimmer Alexa Leary, who will make her debut.

“They are way better than me on the field, and they speak even better than me off the field,” Alcott said. “I cannot wait for Australia to discover these legends and they become the household names they deserve to be.”

When Alcott competed at his first Australian Open, he said, in the audience, there were four people – his family. His last featured 20,000 people in the stands and a live television broadcast. It was the legacy he wanted to leave.

“Hopefully we did that and just made it a bit easy for the next generation of young athletes to come through, and hopefully they get sponsors,” he said.

“Winning is contagious, and Australia is hook, line and sinker into the Olympic games right now. Do not turn off your TVs, do not stop reading the paper or looking online – you will get a return on investment for your viewership.

“We are elite, we are entertaining, and it just so happens we have incredibly inspirational stories as well.”