Paris 2024 will be turning point for Paralympics, says IPC president

The Paris Games will represent a turning point for the Paralympic Movement, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons said on the eve of the Opening Ceremony.

More than 1.75 million tickets had been sold by Friday ahead of the August 28 start of the Paralympics, which will run until September 8.

"The Paralympic movement has become more relevant than ever," Parsons said on Tuesday, the eve of the Opening Ceremony. "But it's also because of the ambition of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee. In many areas, they are innovative and we're part of that. I think there will be a 'Before Paris' and 'After Paris' for the Paralympic Movement."

More than a month after the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics on the River Seine, the curtain raiser for the Paralympics will also take place outside a stadium, this time on the Champs-Elysees and at the Place de la Concorde.

"To us, it's like the city of Paris is giving this gigantic hug to our athletes, embracing the Paralympic Movement. This is very special because it's like: 'Look, we talk about 4,400 athletes with disability, but you're part of what we are as a city, because we are a diverse city'," said Parsons, who was elected as IPC president in 2017.

"After the Olympics and seeing what has happened here, we can't wait for the Opening Ceremony. It was incredible. People just happy and proud, and this is what we want to see during the Paralympics," he added. "From the feedback we are getting, (we think) it will happen (again)."

The performance of the French team, composed of 237 athletes, will have an influence on maintaining the enthusiasm seen at the end of July and the beginning of August, according to Parsons.

"We hope France can win a couple of medals, especially in the very first days, it's important," the 47-year-old Brazilian said.

The IPC chief acknowledged the Paralympics will take place in a different context in France compared to the Olympics, as negotiations over the formation of a new government have resumed and the school year starts next Monday.