The 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, an event eagerly awaited by thousands of athletes and fans around the world, begin this Wednesday. However, a sad event has overshadowed the start of this world competition: a Rwandan para-athlete has been missing since August 20. The French prosecutor’s office recently announced that an investigation has been opened into the matter.
The Paralympic athlete, who specialised in sitting volleyball, disappeared on 20 August at around 7pm after leaving the Courbevoie camp in Hauts-de-Seine, where her delegation was staying. According to a police source, the athlete left the camp with the intention of going to a restaurant, but never returned. Her disappearance was reported on Tuesday at around 1pm by the president of the Rwandan Olympic Committee.
The Nanterre prosecutor’s office, which has taken over the investigation due to the location of the Paralympic delegation in Courbevoie, confirmed that an investigation into a “disappearance of concern” has been opened. This investigation is being conducted by the BRDP (Brigade for the Repression of Crimes against Persons) and was launched following a complaint at the Saint Ouen police station. The police source in question added that the Rwandan ambassador had been informed of the situation and had travelled to the scene.
The incident added a note of concern at a time when Paris is set to open the 2024 Paralympic Games, the first such event in French history. The opening ceremony will take place on Wednesday and promises to be a thrilling spectacle lasting about three hours, under the direction of renowned French theatre director Thomas Jolly.
The event will start at 3pm Argentina time (8pm local time) and run until 6.30pm, offering spectators a remarkable experience. The opening parade will feature 5,100 athletes who will set off from the Champs-Élysées, an iconic venue that can accommodate 15,000 spectators. Giant screens will be installed so that those wishing to follow the ceremony will not miss a single detail.
From there, the athletes will head to the Place de la Concorde, where 35,000 spectators who have previously purchased tickets to enjoy the event are expected to be present. As at the Olympic Games, the Olympic cauldron will be lit in the Tuileries Garden, an area open to the public with a capacity of 30,000 people, with free entry on a first-come, first-served basis.
The opening ceremony will feature 140 artists, including 16 disabled performers, and will be directed by Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman. The performance, entitled Paradox: From Discord to Harmony, will address the contrast between society’s desire for inclusion and persistent prejudices towards people with disabilities. The event will be structured in 13 artistic sequences that will offer a profound and emotional reflection on overcoming and unity.
In the midst of this festive and sporting celebration, the disappearance of the Rwandan para-athlete has added a shadow of uncertainty and concern. The French authorities, together with the representatives of Rwanda, are working hard to resolve this case and guarantee the safety of all the participating athletes.
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