© Stade de France ®
Macary, Zublena et Regembal
Costantini - Architects
ADAGP - Paris - 2002
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VOLUNTEERS  PORTRAITS |
 INTERPRETERS: THE ATHLETE’S VOICE
Paris 2003 Saint-Denis
The Volunteer interpreters not only translate for the athletes before the press, but also play a vital role at the medal-giving ceremonies and doping control.
Ten languages translated
In the maze of passageways beneath the Stade de France®, 20 Volunteer interpreters stand ready. At the end of each event, depending on the nationality of the medal-winners, certain ones are dispatched to the mixed zone (an area reserved for journalists where they can interview the athletes as they come off the track), before moving on to the press conference. Their aim is straightforward: to translate for the athlete. A total of ten languages are catered for, most notably Greek, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Russian and English.
The press conference: a stressful environment…
“It’s great, there’s a really good atmosphere. The first press conference is a magic moment. It’s really quite something, when everybody’s eyes are fixed on us!”, explains Aurelia, a French/English interpreter. They have to translate the questions which the athletes are asked, then give the reply to the journalists in French. But their role doesn’t end there. These Volunteers have already been called into action before the World Championships, to greet the delegations at the airports. Similarly, at the other end of the chain, the interpreters accompany the medal-winners to the rostrum in order to explain to them the official procedure.
Reactivity
An interpreter needs to be reactive, since they can be called upon for the slightest problem. One such case was the linguist summoned to deal with a Chinese athlete who had lost his accreditation, and their services are also frequently required by doping control and the medical service. Acting as intermediaries between athlete and doctor, they remain on continuous call between 9am and 8pm.
Athletics champion and polyglot
Bilingual or even trilingual, these Volunteers come from all walks of life. While some are professional interpreters or studying to become one, others are simply gifted linguists with a passion for athletics! Former champions can even be found amongst their number: Chinka represented Bulgaria at the Olympics during the 1960s, while Taffy was once European indoor 800 m champion!
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