The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games kicked off on Wednesday 28 August for a fortnight. More than 4,400 athletes from all over the world will be competing in 22 disciplines.
To mark the occasion, the European Commission issued a press release reaffirming its commitment to the inclusion of people with disabilities in sport, through initiatives such as the Erasmus+ programme, its disability rights strategy (2021-2030) and the EU Sport Awards #BeInclusive, which recognise organisations that promote social inclusion through sport.
Among the EU Paralympic ambassadors is 26-year-old Finnish wheelchair table tennis player Aino Tapola, ranked second in the world. A former Olympic diver, she won a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 2023 European Championships.
Mindaugas Bilius from Lithuania is also an EU representative. President of the Lithuanian Paralympic Committee and an athlete in jumping and discus throwing, he won gold and silver medals at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games.
Finally, a portrait of Croatian handball player Oliver Lušić has been featured on the Commission’s social networks: https://aeur.eu/f/d8p ; https://aeur.eu/f/d8q ; https://aeur.eu/f/d8o (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)