Islamabad, Oct 11: Pakistani Athletes Honored for Historic Achievements at Paris Olympics and Paralympics. Good evening everyone, Diplomatic protocol is usually very strict regarding official positions, but I am not aware of any specific rules regarding medallists and Paralympic and Olympic athletes.
However, I think we can all agree that today, they should come first!
Dear Gold medallist Arshad Nadeem and Bronze medallist Haider Ali, Dear Olympic and Paralympic athletes, Welcome to all of you and thank you for coming to Islamabad for this event. And now back to more traditional categories:
Dear President of the Pakistan Olympic Association, Mr Gillani, Dear Vice-President, Mr Ashraf, Dear Ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic community Dear friends and fans of the world of sport,
Ladies & Gentlemen,Two months ago, on July 8, I was happy and honored, with the entire French embassy team and all our guests, to receive many of you at the embassy, as the Pakistani teams were preparing to fly to Paris for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
So much has happened in the last two months! For you, for Pakistan and hopefully for Pakistani sport. Pakistan’s Olympic and Paralympic delegations in Paris were not the largest ones especially the Paralympic delegation!
But what a success with few participants! A gold medal in the javelin throw Pakistan’s first individual medal in the history of the Olympic Games. And a bronze medal in the discus throw.In July, before you left, I recalled the well-known formula of Pierre de Coubertin, who had this very modern idea of resurrecting the Olympic Games: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games, he said, is not to win but to take part.”
Arshad and Haider, you definitely won your medals, and magnificently. But all of you, Pakistani athletes, you took part, you competed, you went to the end of your strength to do the best you could. For that, you all deserve our respect and our admiration, and that of your country.
It represents years of effort, often in solitude and without support or encouragement other than that of your families, friends and coaches, to participate in this unique event for any athlete: the Olympic and Paralympic Games.Congratulations to you and to those who believed in you despite the difficulties, the financial obstacles, the disappointments and the failures. Your successes are an example for millions of Pakistanis, young and old, so that sport has, in your country, the place it deserves and the place that Pakistani athletes deserve.
For two weeks, in August and September, you had this unique experience for athletes: living with other athletes from all over the world, interacting with competitors from the other side of the planet, sharing together the Olympic and Paralympic passion.
And I would like to highlight the specific impact of the Paralympic Games. Paralympians are athletes, like any other – and many do not like to be considered heroes. But they are certainly less well-known than others, and the Paralympic competitions showed the world, including the Pakistani public, that accidents of genetics or life do not prevent anyone from achieving incredible feats.
Last August and September, Paris was transformed by the Games. In the months and weeks leading up to the Games, Parisians, as often, complained (I am from there so I can talk about it!): the traffic jams, the security measures, the invasion of tourists and journalist. Then the magic of the Games happened.
I can testify to this because I was in Paris at the beginning of August: the atmosphere was joyful, relaxed, friendly . As one American newspaper headlined “Paris Games: even the French are nice and happy!”Yes indeed: the event was beautiful, the competition sites, often in historical monuments or places, were magnificent and the organization worked well.
But it is thanks to you, the teams and the athletes from all over the world , that this Olympic magic has worked. We can see it on these screens. And in a period of so much tragedy and suffering in many parts of the world, you have not made us forget them far from it but you have shown us that men and women, able-bodied or less able-bodied, can share an exceptional moment – a moment where effort, loyal rivalry and competition, in compliance with the rules of each sport, with fair play and solidarity are combined.
What better example of this, dear Nadeem, was given during your press conference with your Indian opponent Neeraj Chopra, where you both demonstrated the most estimable human and sporting values, which your two mothers echoed in the following days in such a moving and sincere way.
At this point, I would also like to salute the eight young Pakistanis who travelled to France with the Right To Play association, which the Embassy was pleased to support and accompany for this great project which allowed them, among many other activities, to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. A big thank you to Mr. Ali Khayam and the Right to Play team for your dedication to promoting sport as a tool for social integration, particularly for young girls. In this regard, the Embassy is proud to work with you for the organization of a women’s basketball tournament next month.
Some figures to conclude:
First of all, Pakistani Athletes and a real satisfaction with the performance of the French teams: with 64 medals including 16 gold, France ranks 5th at the Olympic Games, and 8th at the Paralympic Games with 75 medals including 19 gold.
With more than 10 million tickets sold, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games have set a new record, held since 1996 by the Atlanta Games.By adding the Paralympic Games, more than 12 million tickets were sold in total, one million more than at the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.
And another figure to note: 263.000 tickets were sold for the Paralympic swimming competitions in September ; this is more than for the Olympic swimming events in August, and it is a very encouraging statistic which shows how popular Paralympic sport has become, and that it now attracts a very wide audience.
Dear friends,
On July 8, we wished you good luck.
Today, you can proudly say “mission accomplished”.
In Los Angeles in four years, I am sure, Pakistani athletes will win more medals because the example of Nadeem and Haider is a great encouragement to the athletes of Pakistan and, let’s hope, an incentive for high-level sport to be supported and promoted in this country and for you to have even more success.
Once again, congratulations to the entire Pakistani delegation that participated in the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games!
Merci, Shukrya, Thank you.
