Alain Bernard is a triple Olympic medalist in swimming as well as a World and European title holder. Regarded as one of the greatest French athletes of all time, Alain couldn’t have joined our movement at a better time—his first engagement will be to join the Special Olympics delegation at the World Games Abu Dhabi Opening Ceremony on 14 March.
Alain is deeply proud to be joining our movement. He said: "The courage, determination, joys and disappointments of Special Olympics athletes are the same as those of the greatest champions, and they demand admiration. Society too often leaves people with intellectual disabilities in the shade, and I am proud to contribute to bringing into them into the light.”
For Nathalie Dallet-Fevre, General Manager of Special Olympics France, the commitment of Alain Bernard—one the icons of swimming in France—is a great mark of recognition and pride for people with an intellectual disability (ID) in France.
In Abu Dhabi, Alain will join 85 Special Olympics France athletes who are participating in 10 sports: swimming, athletics, basketball, bowling, 5 a side football, artistic gymnastics, handball, judo, tennis and table tennis.