Could The Olympics Be A Catalyst For Making Cities More Disability-Inclusive?

When my husband and I got married in December, we decided to keep it small and save our money for a dream honeymoon. I love to visit new places and try new things but traveling as a wheelchair user can be challenging, so I often find myself sticking to what I know. From Ireland where we live, it’s relatively cheap and easy to visit other European countries, so that’s what I’ve (mostly) stuck to.

Wanting to break this pattern and jump out of my comfort zone, my husband and I decided we’d go to Japan. Every year, millions of tourists flock to Japan to experience the country’s beautiful scenery and uniquely delicious cuisine. And while those are my intentions too, I’m especially interested to explore how accessible the country is to people with mobility aids — especially now.

When Tokyo was selected to be the host of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the organising committee aimed to ensure the Tokyo 2020 Games were accessible for all, regardless of disability. Not only did they want the events and venues themselves to be accessible, they aimed to enhance the whole city in this way. It seemed like a weighty endeavour — but it was fruitful, to an extent.

Built specifically for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo was designed with a number of accessibility features for people with disabilities. Experts hoped the stadium’s design would set a new standard for accessible design in Japan.

Along with constructing new facilities, Tokyo also worked to improve on what already existed in and around the city. Improving the city’s transport links meant providing barrier-free access to a number of key subway and mainline stations.These accessibility features continue to exist as part of Tokyo’s Olympic “legacy,” according to the Japan National Tourism Organisation.

As this year’s Olympic Games began to come together, organisers in Paris promised to rise to the challenge and make the city more accessible. During her presentation of the accessibility road map for the Games, French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne emphasised, “The Olympic and Paralympic Games should serve as a catalyst for enhancing the daily lives of people with disabilities.” 

Despite these big promises, disability advocates expressed concern and disappointment about the efforts to make the city more accessible based on what they’ve seen so far. Regarding their transport infrastructure, it appears that Paris opted for more temporary solutions — shuttle buses and accessible taxis to ferry people to and from their destinations. And there’s been no mention of continuing these measures, which indicates a dismissal of the everyday issues disabled people have navigating the city.

The accessibility of Paris’ public transport is one of the most difficult parts of navigating the city for me. Despite having visited Paris five times, the Paris Métro network remains a total mystery to me. Only one line (Line 14) is fully wheelchair accessible, so I often rely on taking pricey taxi journeys that would be a much shorter and cheaper journey on the Métro. And if a wheelchair-accessible taxi is unavailable (which they often are) I just have to wheel my way across the cracked pathways and hilly streets.

Other cities with underground transport systems are no better: Only 92 of London’s 272Underground stations have step-free access, and less than 30% of New York subway stations are fully accessible.

Tied in first place with navigating public transportation, I think finding suitable accommodation is the other hardest part of traveling somewhere new for me. It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Ahead of the Paris Games, French hotel group Accor worked to make their properties more accessible for people with different disabilities. Anne-Sophie Beraud, senior vice president of group diversity inclusion and social care at Accor, told me for an article I wrote for HuffPost earlier this yearthat these efforts will “not only establish a legacy of inclusivity, but also facilitate the global adoption of these best practices.”

And earlier this week, Airbnb, a worldwide Olympic and Paralympic partner, announced that there are now 1,000 listings on its platform with step-free accessibility features in the Paris region. I hope this newfound interest in accessibility and inclusivity won’t fade when the Games wrap up. Disabled Parisians and tourists alike will still need accessible transport and step-free accommodation.

The creation of new, accessible infrastructure in Japan and Paris will benefit the cities long after the Olympic and Paralympic Games have ended. But, unfortunately, some accessibility issues, like those with the Paris Métro, will persist.

Still, even with the many accessibility barriers I face there, I love Paris: It’s where my husband proposed — and so I have a sentimental reason for hoping that the Olympics serve as a catalyst for them to upgrade accessibility. Instead of implementing temporary accessibility measures for big, one-off events, every city can and should steadily work toward a society in which disabled people can fully participate. The cities we love should, one day, love us back.