I sincerely hope that there’s a succinct French translation for the phrase “Help! I’ve fallen and can’t get up,” because should the Parisian Paralympic planning committee not seize this opportunity to address the needs of disabled athletes and Parisian citizens, it will likely be their new motto.

Walking through Paris in recent months, it is difficult to miss the major advertising campaign that has accompanied the city’s winning bid to host the 2024 Olympics. French citizens have been electrified with the prospect of becoming a beacon of hope in a particularly tumultuous global political climate, but even their celebrations have a glaring obvious flaw to anyone who was raised to look for it: they were largely absent of people with disabilities. The ease with which Parisians forget to include disabled citizens could spell disaster for the Olympic Planning committee since they must plan for and accommodate the Paralympics as well. Like many things, “disability” we may be lagging behind by a bit, but we’re coming along too…To read more, click here or download The Paris Paralympics Test _ Peacock Plume