“Yes, I'm SMALL, MIXED-RACE, ONE-LEGGED, and to add insult to injury, GAY”: Frenchman Dimitri Pavadé's coming out after the Paralympics

Le Français a pris la quatrième place du concours du saut en longueur aux Jeux Paralympiques de Paris. MAXPPP – Adam Davy

Quatrième du concours de saut en longueur lors des Jeux Paralympiques de Paris 2024, le Français Dimitri Pavadé a publié un long message sur Instagram où il annonce être homosexuel et vouloir se battre pour cette cause auprès des sportifs de haut niveau.

“”He didn't win a Paralympic medal at these Paris Games, but Dimitri Pavadé may have found something else. Just off the podium in the T64 long jump, the Tokyo silver medallist posted a long message on his Instagram account, announcing his homosexuality.

“Another fight awaits me now and I've been waiting for this moment impatiently. Here I am today, ready once again to confront, overcome and move forward without taking into account what others may say or think of me”, he wrote to accompany a photo of himself where he poses with two male symbols in the colors of the rainbow, with the outfit of the French Paralympic team.

“Yes I am SHORT, MIXED-RACE, ONE-LEGGED, and to add insult to injury, GAY !!!!!! The person that I am and like others, have never had to make a choice so stop with your pitiful speeches and your judgments without reasoning because you will never change the world", he continues.

"Children and adults are still committing suicide or being killed today"

Taking advantage of this announcement, Pavadé also wanted to give a message of tolerance, especially to athletes: "Now I have a second fight to lead with MY LGBTQIA + COMMUNITY and I hope to give strength and courage also to people still in the CLOSET or to these HIGH-LEVEL ATHLETES who do not dare to live openly and freely this freedom that is rightfully ours."

"Disability is not made to be hidden or ashamed of it, the same goes for your sexual orientation so accept yourself as you are and remember that you are not alone […] Children and adults still commit suicide or are killed today. Don't forget that in your entourage you could one day be affected”, he concluded.