UC Riverside Athletics to Host French Paralympic Federation in 2027, 2028
6/30/2026 2:03:00 PM | General
Close to 200 athletes will prepare for the 2028 games at UCR
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UC Riverside Athletics will host the French Paralympic Federation in 2027 and 2028, it was announced last week by UCR athletics director Greg Paules. Â Â Â Â
Paules signed a Letter of Intent on campus alongside UCR chancellor Dr. S. Jack Hu and Grégory Saint-Geniès, national technical director and representative of the Chairman of the French Disabled Federation.Â
"It makes us appreciate what we have," Paules said. "We were just as impressed with them and their operation and attention to detail…the fact that we got to come together to showcase everything we have to offer is pretty cool."
A contingent of about 30 coaches and athletes spent a week trying out campus facilities in mid to late June. The full delegation of athletes and coaches is expected to be about 150 to 200, said Sami El Gueddari, a manager with the French Paralympic program and a former competitive swimmer.
Los Angeles, which is hosting the Summer Olympic Games in July 2028, is also hosting the 2028 Paralympic Games from Aug. 15 to 27. The event will include 560 medal events across 23 different sports in venues throughout the Los Angeles region.
The athletes will be training in sports including track and field, blind soccer, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, Para table tennis, and Boccia ball. They will also train at Riverside City College's swimming pool, which is Olympic regulation size.
The French team will stay at the Glen Mor campus apartments, which have the most accessible units, elevators, pathways, and other amenities among campus housing facilities. The delegation has also met with Dining Services for meal planning to meet their training and dietary needs.
"They really vetted each and every space and it showed that it's UC Riverside they're interested in, not just one unit," Paules said. "The fact is each of our divisions came together and really showcased everything we had to offer."
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