A reception was held at Paris City Hall to honor Ukrainian athletes participating in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The event was attended by the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, Ukrainian Minister of Youth and Sports Matvii Bidnyi, and the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to France, Vadym Omelchenko. Nearly 30 Ukrainian athletes were warmly welcomed with applause from the attendees.
Anne Hidalgo, who has visited Ukraine multiple times since the start of the large-scale war, emphasized the athletes’ status as heroes. She recalled how they were cheered and celebrated by the people of Paris and France during the opening ceremony. “This house is yours,” she declared.
📸 Photo: Henri Garat
In recognition of their courage and resilience, Anastasia Kozhenkova (rowing champion) and Oleksii Sereda (diving champion) were awarded the Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris, the highest honor the city of liberty and human rights can bestow.
Andrey Yermak, Chief of Staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, also addressed the gathering remotely from Ukraine, highlighting the immense challenges faced by Ukrainian athletes. He revealed that 520 sports facilities, including 15 training bases, have been destroyed, with 100 of them beyond repair.
He denounced Russia’s use of sports as a propaganda tool, stating that Russian sports have become an instrument of hybrid warfare, with athletes used as agents of this strategy. Despite ongoing barbaric attacks, Ukrainian sports have shown remarkable resilience, continuing training in makeshift conditions with homemade equipment.
Matvii Bidnyi, Ukraine’s Minister of Youth and Sports, expressed his pride and gratitude:
“Ukraine has stood strong for two and a half years. The Ukrainian flag flies proudly at the Olympic Games. Thank you for your support.”
The ceremony also paid tribute to the 489 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed by Russian forces, known as the “Heaven’s Team.” A minute of silence was observed in their memory.
This reception was not only an occasion to celebrate athletic achievements but also to honor the resilience and courage of Ukrainian athletes. Their presence at the Paris Games serves as a symbol of hope and determination from a nation fighting for its freedom.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo concluded the medal ceremony with a resounding “Slava Ukraini,” celebrating the “heroic Ukrainian athletes who are making history at the Paris Olympic Games.”
Cover photo : Henri Garat
