The 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games concluded today.

From my position as a spectator in Paris, I wish these games had received more coverage. At most, the news carried a snapshot or quick sequence of a French medal-winner. Maybe I didn’t look hard enough, but I couldn’t find any events carried on French television.
The 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games apparently were the biggest ever. The Chinese welcomed more than 4000 athletes. Chinese athletes also won the race to accumulate the most medals, trailed by athletes from Great Britain and the United States. The organizers reportedly sold more than a million tickets to spectators. I’d hesitate to hold up China as a model for accommodating the disabled, but the organizers of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games sent a strong message about inclusion and the amazing diversity of human talents.
In the spirit of fraternité, I’d remind my French friends and neighbors that the Paralympic Games take place beside (from the Greek para) the Olympics. And in the spirit of égalité, I’d point out that the Paralympic Games show the disabled competing and winning (not as the recipients of charity or assistance).
paralympiqueThis image (from Xinhua) shows Eduardo Avila of Mexico, winning the gold medal in the lightweight (-73 kg) category. (Athletes in paralympic judo can’t see.)