“Monenal flow”. Areola Dedaj, the butterfly woman who captivates the Paris Paralympics

On Friday, August 30, photos of his visit to the Stade de France went viral. In less than 24 hours, Arriola Dedai, who came to compete in the long jump T11 (for people with near-total visual impairment) final, became the symbol of this Paris 2024 Paralympic Games among his opponents, wearing an eye mask (mandatory for this type of competition) over his in the form of a blue butterfly in the color of the outfit. “Monetary flow,” the audience and netizens agreed. Although he did not reach the podium, ending up in fourth place, Aryola Dedaj spread his wings well.

And this is not the first time that the 43-year-old sportswoman wears this type of headscarf, which she reviews as a true fashion accessory. For those who have followed him for a long time, some know that his every appearance turns into a real surprise. Indeed, Aryola Dedaj plays with codes and is not afraid to add glamor despite her disability. He wore a gold feathered mask in the colors of Italy during the 2024 Paralympic World Championships in Japan last May. We’ve also seen her in a mask that makes big doll eyes or another set with pearls.

Difficult childhood

Aryola Dedaj was born in Tirana, Albania in 1981. According to OMAR (Observatory for Rare Diseases), the athlete has suffered from retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative genetic eye disease characterized by gradual and progressive loss of vision, since the age of 3. leading to blindness. According to “Al Jazeera” media, the latter “would have moved to Italy on a cold night in December 1998. His means of transport was an inflatable boat” because of the raging war in his country. “I consider our journey a great opportunity, because it did not end in tragedy, like recent journeys made by refugees. I see many people who are suffering and have left their homeland for a better life. Unfortunately, some of them did not reach their destination, which is very unfortunate,” he told the website.

Whether in Albania or Italy, she explains that she has always felt discriminated against and hurt by how people look at her. So after finishing sixth at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and then winning the World Championships in London 2017, she explained that she gradually regained her confidence by deciding to wear masks. To be proud of him and to “ensure that disability is not seen as a shame”. Moreover, Arriola Dedaj has been in a relationship with athlete Emmanuelle Di Marino for several years. They have a child together named Leo.