Games, stress balls and coloring books were purchased to make the place welcoming. The aim is to follow the event without enduring the pressure of the stands.
The room is located behind the stands. A father accompanies his son there, facing a large screen, on enveloping sofas. The child is autistic and, although deaf and fitted with hearing aids, the experience of a match can remain intense.
For Thomas, the opening of this room is a step forward. His father said:"There are forms of autism in which children are in distress and may find it hard to stay calm, and it is not their fault.".
Paul, a 17-year-old, says he is glad to be there. For him, attending a basketball game is an entirely new experience.
The room is also meant to allow these young people to enjoy the event with their relatives, their friends, and their brothers and sisters. The arrangement is therefore not limited to a withdrawal from the crowd: it seeks to make a family outing possible.
The room will be accessible for all matches. This season, educators and psychologists will be present there for ten games.
The arrangement is not presented as unique in French sport. According to one account, such rooms exist at Paris FC and, it is believed, one in Metz. For its own matches, however, Paris Basketball remains the only French club equipped with such a room.