KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Paralympic contingent is going beyond just preparing for peak performance at the Paris Paralympics slated for August 28, but also ensuring every athlete and coach is fluent in French.
Speaking to Scoop, chef de mission Datuk S. Subramaniam shared that the team has been attending French language courses since February, thanks to a partnership with the French Embassy in Malaysia.
Remarkably, these classes have been fully sponsored by the embassy, allowing the Malaysian Paralympic contingent to learn the language at no cost over the past six months.
Subramaniam expressed his satisfaction with the initiative’s success, highlighting that it received enthusiastic support from both athletes and coaches, despite their demanding training schedules.
“The French Embassy has been offering French language classes to our athletes and coaches who will be heading to Paris.
“Every week, there’s a two-hour session, split into two groups – one for athletes and the other for coaches. Many have been actively participating in these classes,” said Subramaniam.
This initiative marks the first collaboration of its kind between the Malaysian Paralympic Council and an international embassy.
Subramaniam acknowledges that while English is widely spoken globally, it is not as commonly used in Paris, which could present challenges for Malaysian athletes competing there.
To further assist the team, each Malaysian Paralympic athlete has been provided with French dictionary books to help them communicate effectively in Paris.
“The objective is simple: in Paris, language can be a barrier if you don’t speak French, as English isn’t widely used there. This is also part of our strategy to encourage everyone to pick up French.
“We don’t want our athletes and coaches to get lost in France, so everyone took the course,” Subramaniam added.
The Malaysian Paralympic team heading to Paris consists of 30 athletes, with an ambitious goal of winning four gold medals in badminton, boccia, athletics, and powerlifting. – August 17, 2024