Disoriented but relieved to be safe. Twenty-one Ukrainian athletes, aged 20 to 25, arrived in Nancy on Tuesday, hosted and cared for by Creps de Nancy.
This Paralympic canoeing and rowing delegation was preparing for training in Turkey when war broke out in Ukraine. It was unthinkable for these athletes with disabilities to return to their country.
“We have five wheelchair users on the team. It’s so hard to go back to Ukraine now, because they couldn’t move there, we had to go back to Ukraine on March 5th“ testifies Sergio, one of the coaches of the rowing team, the only one who speaks a little English.
Daily training on the Meurthe
The Creps de Nancy responded to a call launched by the international federations. He now takes care of all the administrative procedures to facilitate this stay in France. For this first week in Lorraine, only one training session is organized on the banks of the Meurthe. Then, starting next week, two daily sessions are planned. And by the end of the month, Ukrainian athletes will even be able to train with the French teams present in Nancy.
Several weeks in Nancy
“We are so grateful to have been welcomed here. We try to protect the team, to continue our training and we try to stay calm. It’s impossible to explain how we feel when we hear our friends and families telling us all the time that they’re at war.”
The delegation should stay several weeks in Nancy, before probably resuming the international circuit in mid-May.