The Paris Paralympic Games broke records with 169 participating delegations and 165 media outlets covering the event. But what long-lasting legacy will remain now that the Games are over?
ADVERTISEMENTAs the Paralympic Games come to an end, Paris is hoping to leave its mark on how disability is viewed and considered.
The Paris Games set multiple records, including attendance of 169 delegations, which is the highest compared to previous editions.
Another record set: 165 television channels covered the event.
Spectators in Paris also welcomed the games with enthusiasm. Out of 2.5 million tickets put on sale last autumn, around 2.4 million were sold or allocated by the eve of the closing ceremony.
Prior to Paris, the biggest number of tickets sold for the Paralympics was 2.7 million for the 2012 London Games.
Will it affect the daily lives of the disabled?
What remains to be seen is whether these Games will leave a solid legacy when it comes to accessibility and social inclusion for people with disabilities.
At the end of August, Valérie Pécresse, the president of the Paris region, called for a massive renovation to fix the city's centuries-old public transport network that is almost impossible for people with disabilities to use.
This project may take 20 years and cost up to €15 billion. The feasibility of the renovation is yet to be discussed.