With just 100 days remaining until the Paralympic Games kick off in Paris, organizers are ramping up excitement with a heartfelt message from the athletes aimed at boosting ticket sales: "I am not missing anything, except you."
Launching the countdown campaign for the Aug. 28-Sept. 8 Games on Monday, the campaign showcases three Paralympic athletes, each standing alone in a deserted stadium.
The slogan, "Il ne me manque rien, sauf vous” (I’m not missing anything, except you), serves as a powerful call to action, urging people to join and witness their remarkable feats.
Among the French athletes featured in the campaign are Arnaud Assoumani, a gold medalist in long jump and triple jump at the 2008 Beijing Games; wheelchair tennis player Pauline Deroulede; and Gael Riviere, a blind football player who clinched the European championship two years ago.
Riviere also plays for Bondy Cecifoot Club, the same suburb where French football star Kylian Mbappe honed his skills.
National broadcaster France Televisions will show the campaign in a bid to raise awareness and – ultimately – boost sales. So far, 900,000 of the 2.8 million tickets have been sold.
A total of 4,400 athletes will take part in the Paralympics.
Tickets are available from 15 euros ($16) for track and field sessions at Stade de France, wheelchair tennis at Roland Garros, or blind football at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. The finals cost from 25 euros ($27), and it's 45 euros to watch the closing ceremony.
Ticket sales could escalate once posters start appearing around Paris, with organizers aiming to raise awareness and increase fan engagement and solidarity.
There will be 651 posters dotted around the city, 972 on the subway, and a further 2,520 on the sides of buses.
On Tuesday, four Paralympic athletes will walk up the famed steps at the Cannes Film Festival along with Paris 2024 Olympic head Tony Estanguet.
Of the tickets sold so far, organizers said 300,000 have been bought by the state and 150,000 by the International Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee.
Organizers haven't released details for the number of tickets sold for the opening ceremony, which takes place along a section of the famed Champs-elysees.
Paul McCartney has allowed the song "We All Stand Together” to be used in a promotional film for the International Paralympic Committee.
The Paralympics will have a record 164 broadcasters worldwide covering 549 events across 22 sports.
The 12-day event follows the July 26-Aug. 11 Olympics in Paris.
