Carlos Alberto Leitão was born in Rio and is 35 years old. A qualified architect, he has profound hearing impairment, one level below complete deafness. Ana Rosa, 39, from the state of Goiás, is married and the mother of two children, and she has a degree in Human Resources Management. When she was six months old, she got polio (also called infantile paralysis), injuring both her legs.

Erick Brito, 43, is from São Paulo and he has a degree in Accountancy. He was born with cerebral palsy, which caused injuries in the part of the brain that controls motor coordination and speech. Marcelo Cardozo was born in Rio and is 33. He has an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA in Project Management, and he speaks multiple languages. One year ago he was diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica, which caused inflammation of the spinal cord and restricted the movement of his legs. He now uses crutches or a wheelchair – the latter in cases where he needs to move around with more agility.

Carlos is a venue designer, Ana is a recruitment analyst, Erick is a financial control analyst, and Marcelo is an infrastructure analyst. All of them work at the Rio 2016™ Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee. Carlos’ disability allows him to only hear deep sounds, but that does not prevent him from communicating fluently. He can lip read and make himself understood perfectly. Ana is a very energetic person. She now uses an orthopaedic device to help her move around, and she can often be seen going to and fro at Rio 2016™’s head office.

Fun-loving Erick likes to tell jokes. Aware of the importance of his area in controlling the Organising Committee’s spending, he talks about the mistaken impression he gives some people. “People confuse physical disabilities with intellectual disabilities, and cerebral palsy is typical of this. Some people take fright, but it’s up to us who have this disability to change this wrong impression. I tell people that I may look unintelligent, but I’m not”, says Erick in a light-hearted manner.

Marcelo explains that he has had problems adapting to his new condition, but that with a good dose of optimism and confidence, he has kept making progress. “If I get bothered by anything, this immediately affects the inflammation (in the spinal cord). I’ve learned to view life in a different way. I used to work for an oil company, on a platform, and I was dismissed because of my disability. However, I soon realized that inclusion would have to come from me rather than from outside. One day, my son saw me leaving for the shopping centre on crutches, without using the wheelchair, and he said I wouldn’t be able to walk. I told him I would walk very slowly, and so off we went. I think that this kind of thing will teach him to deal with differences”, Marcelo says.
 

Marcelo began using crutches and the wheelchair to move around one year ago and tells that he has learned to comprehend his life in a different way. Photo: Rio 2016™

Energy generated by Paralympic sport and idols

Carlos says that he has never felt stronger emotions than when he watched Brazil’s national volleyball team play at the Maracanãzinho Arena in Rio. And you would be mistaken if you thought that his hearing impairment would prevent him from sensing the noise: “I’m passionate about volleyball. I used to play, though I wasn’t very good", he says laughing. “It was sensational to see Brazil playing in the flesh. I don’t even remember who they were playing, but everyone was shouting and happy. It was unforgettable.”

Good-natured, affable Erick did not hesitate to reply that his idol of Paralympic sport is none other than the “Paralympic Shark”, Clodoaldo Silva, who won 13 Paralympic medals. “He also had cerebral palsy. I swam for quite some time and it really improved my breathing and energy level. I also did capoeira for a year”, he says, before somewhat bashfully explaining why he is not currently doing any sport. “But I’m going to take it up again”, he promises.

Ana is a fan of her compatriot, weightlifter Josilene Ferreira, whom she met at the Goiás State Association of People with Physical Disabilities, where she did wheelchair dancing for three years. “Dancing is pleasurable for everyone and in a wheelchair I could dance all rhythms, as it was possible to do movements that I couldn’t do out of it”, she says.

Marcelo is a fan of swimmer Daniel Dias: “It doesn’t require much in the way of explanation. He exudes the power of overcoming the odds. It’s beautiful to see someone with a disability in the arms win so many medals in swimming”.

Marcelo did taekwondo throughout his teenage years and competed in state championships until the age of 17, when he started to experience pains in his knees. They were signs of neuromyelitis optica, which he ignored until someone recommended that he see a neurologist. “I used to put ice on my knees and that eased the pain, and that was it. I stopped doing sport and went to see various doctors before they suggested I see a neurosurgeon. When they diagnosed my injury, they explained that if I had never done any sport, my condition could have deteriorated to the point of complete muscular atrophy in the legs”.

The determination to meet challenges and Rio 2016™

In Carlos’ opinion, two things were fundamental to his success in the job market: his parents’ support, and ignoring the surprise shown by people due to their lack of experience at dealing with differences. “It is important for parents of children with disabilities to believe in their potential and to be strict to help push them forward. I wasn’t pampered at home. The job market is like a hurdle race. You mustn’t look to the side or at anyone, or you’ll fall down. You just have to clear each hurdle in order to win”, he says.

Getting to Rio 2016™ represents a major achievement, but he knows he has a lot of work ahead of him. “It’s an enormous responsibility, as we are going to show Rio de Janeiro to the entire world”, says Carlos, who lives in the Ilha do Governador neighbourhood of Rio.

“I am playing my part in the history of our country. I am helping to stage competitions of a grandeur never before seen in Latin America, and I feel proud about that”, says Erick.

In Ana’s opinion, her work at the Rio 2016™ Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee is another chance to show her capacity. “Coming here gave me a sensation of obtaining a return from a life-long effort. However, whenever people with disabilities start a new job, they need to show they are capable”, she says, showing a very practical attitude.

Despite being satisfied by his work at Rio 2016™, Marcelo mentions the prejudice that still exists at some companies, where people with disabilities are still viewed with mistrust. “I feel very good here, but I’ve had job interviews at other companies and I felt that they looked at me strangely when I arrived in my wheelchair. I know that one day the Committee’s work will come to an end, and when this happens I hope to find another place with a similar positive working environment”, he says.

Rio 2016™ wants to expand the recruitment of people with disabilities

The Rio 2016™ Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee currently has around 50 job opportunities posted on its official website for a variety of functions in Finance, Human Resources, Architecture, Engineering, Project Management, Technology, Commerce and Communications. Every day, new professionals apply for these positions, and Rio 2016™ encourages people with disabilities to participate.

A federal law obliges companies to have a certain number of employees with disabilities, a target that the Rio 2016™ Games Organising Committee has already achieved. Nevertheless, the aim is to expand the percentage of people with disabilities in its recruitment, in line with the Games’ strategy to design and deliver the best ever Olympic and Paralympic Games, with outstanding accessibility and social inclusion.

All job opportunities for the Rio 2016™ Games are posted on the official website.

The Committee emphasizes that anyone who considers himself/herself qualified for a position may apply, and that the selection process seeks out professionals who are aligned with Rio 2016™’s values, which recognize the personal and professional value of participating in this unique event. Candidates should also have a proactive profile, a flexible mind-set, contagious energy and adaptability.