First delegations arrive at Paris Paralympics athletes' village: Video
The Athletes' Village in Paris has officially opened its doors to the first groups of athletes participating in the upcoming Paralympic Games, set to begin on August 28.
The Village, which will host a total of 4,400 athletes competing from August 28 to September 8, welcomed delegations from countries including Chile, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, and South Africa.
Now, it is preparing to accommodate approximately 180 Paralympic delegations, starting with the arrival of the chefs de mission early on the morning of Sunday, August 18.
The Village, originally designed with accessibility, required only minimal adjustments to meet the specific needs of Paralympic athletes. Laurent Michaud, the Village director, highlighted that “public spaces, roads, sidewalks, and crosswalks were all created to be navigable by wheelchair users, adhering to universal accessibility standards for new urban developments.”
Michaud added, “We’re adding temporary grab bars in the bathrooms and wheelchairs in the showers to facilitate transfers,” ensuring that all athletes can comfortably and safely navigate their living spaces during the Games.
In the Village apartments, only units with at least one bathroom adapted for people with reduced mobility (PRM) will be used. This adaptation reduces the number of required beds from 14,000 during the Olympics to 9,000 for the Paralympics, allowing for a more efficient use of space.
