Former Paralympic champion urges sweeping reforms for disability accessibility in France
Michaël Jeremiasz, a former wheelchair-tennis champion, condemned the low rate of accessible public venues in France and called for a radical overhaul of disability policy at a national conference.
At the 7th National Conference on Disability held at the Prisme de Bobigny, former Paralympic tennis champion Michaël Jeremiasz addressed an audience of roughly 500, among them multiple government ministers. He warned that only around fifty percent of public venues in France are accessible, labeling this shortfall as a shameful injustice. While acknowledging that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games succeeded in changing perceptions, he stressed that public policies have failed to follow suit, leaving many disabled individuals without education, employment, or accessible environments.
Jeremiasz called for a comprehensive societal revolution, urging the country to treat disability rights with the same urgency as other minority causes. His remarks broke the pattern of lengthy speeches and panel discussions that have dominated previous sessions of the conference.
Why it matters
The speech spotlights persistent accessibility gaps, pressing the French government to act on disability rights.
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