The organising committee of the Paris Olympics 2024 has submitted an official proposal to the Unicode Consortium requesting the addition of four Para sports emojis. The committee which will organise the next Olympic and Paralympics has asked for representation of the latter in what they consider is the now-universal language. The initiative seeks to increase the representation and inclusion of people with disabilities through sport.
The proposal is supported by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), French National Paralympic Committee (CNPSF) and numerous French and International Olympians and Paralympians. The initiative calls for the addition of four Para Sports — Blind Football, Para Athletics, Para Swimming and Wheelchair Tennis.
Paris Olympics 2024: Paris organising committee submits proposal to represent 4 Paralympic sports in emojis
The submissions were submitted to Unicode on Tuesday, the final day of submissions in 2021. The proposal comes midway through the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The proposal aims to give Para sport athletes the visibility and recognition they deserve while raising awareness to drive further change in attitudes towards disability. The emoji project reflects Paris 2024’s commitment to bring the same level of ambition to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, with the same spectacular venues and, for the first time, a common emblem across both Games.
Pas question de se prendre un revers 🎾#Paris2024 propose cet emoji pour le tennis fauteuil.
On veut des #ParaEmojis2024
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No chance we’ll be beaten down the line 🎾 #Paris2024 is proposing this emoji for Wheelchair Tennis.
We want #ParaEmojis2024
@unicode pic.twitter.com/xoOgbr0y1o— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) August 31, 2021
Para sports deserve emojis! Today @Paris2024 is submitting a proposal to @unicode for the creation of the first para sport emojis.
Want to join us? Raise your voice: We want #ParaEmojis2024!#Paralympics #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/lLBDPUsRtc
— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) August 31, 2021
Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee, said: “Paris 2024 is convinced that sport can be a powerful driver of social inclusion, self-acceptance and openness to others. It’s crucial that our incredible champions with disabilities are represented in this universal language.”
Le Fur, President of the French National Paralympic Committee (CNPSF) and a Tokyo 2020 silver medallist in Long Jump (T64), said: “I congratulate Paris 2024 on this fantastic initiative. Emojis really are a reflection of society and have become a wholly universal language, used by millions of people worldwide. Hopefully, Para sports will soon have their own digital identity, which is so much more important that we might think.”
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