France was particularly successful in its Paralympic Games, finishing in fourth place in the medal standings. With 12 medals in total, including 7 in gold, the tricolors can be proud of their career since they finish in particular ahead of the United States or Germany. A competition that took place in China, in the same place as the Winter Olympics, but a few weeks later. Among our representatives, one particularly stood out when he showed up for the second run of the slalom last Sunday.
Manoel Bourdenx, a 34-year-old athlete, took part in the Paralympic Games and even if he finished in an honest 20th place, he will have left an unforgettable memory to the viewers who will have seen his performance. In fact, when running, the Frenchman showed up in… underpants! An original outfit to say the least, especially with the temperatures felt in China at this time. But as we were able to quickly realize, the French sportsman, amputated of a leg following the attack of a shark in Hawaii in 2017, also had a banner attached to the back.
After the end of the race, he unrolled the famous banner and it read, in English, the following question: “Are we worth less?”. A way to question the difference in treatment, especially in the media, between Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The skier therefore hopes for more equality between all athletes, whether able-bodied or not. Let’s hope for Manoël Bourdenx that his message will be heard in the future and in particular for the next Olympic Games, which will take place in 2024 in Paris.