Lucia Da Silva Araujo is a Brazilian athlete. She participated in the Beijing 2008 Games and was a silver medallist in London and Rio, bronze in Tokyo. She has not only overcome personal and societal challenges but has also become an inspiring figure in the world of sport. Diagnosed with a visual impairment at birth, Lucia’s journey to success was shaped by her determination to break barriers, redefine her limits and use her platform to advocate for equality and inclusion. Lucia Da Silva Araujo was interviewed by Hanna Stepanik from the Fairplay Initiative in Vienna.
“I started practising judo when I was 15 years old. I have a visual impairment due to congenital toxoplasmosis. Growing up, I was raised without being treated as someone with a disability. I always had vision problems but I wasn’t aware of my disability. However, it wasn’t until I was 15 that I started walking on my own. My siblings were involved in judo, so I decided to join them. While they eventually stopped, I kept going. Judo gave me independence and I used to travel to practise by bus, which was an important step for me at that time.
I didn’t initially see myself as an athlete with a disability. My first exposure to that identity was much later, at age 27. Before that, I wanted to become a lawyer and had dreams of studying law. My stepfather discouraged me, thinking that law required a lot of reading but nowadays I know that many people with visual impairments pursue law successfully. After high school, I attended prep’ courses for university but in 2004 I moved to Europe to stay with my mother. That’s where my path started to shift.
There, I met a massage therapist, which led me to study massage therapy back in Brazil. I began seeing myself differently when I met Renata, a member of Brazil’s national Paralympic goalball team. She showed me that I could achieve things I hadn’t thought possible. Her guidance was transformative and she encouraged me to return to judo. Although I hesitated initially, I followed her advice, passed all the trials and was selected for the national team shortly after. It was a significant turning point in my life.
Throughout my career, there were many important moments, but the most significant was making the Paralympic team. Before that, I hadn’t really thought of myself as a professional athlete. My family was very protective and I had become quite dependent on them. When I made the team, everything started changing. I got pregnant, had a daughter, got married and moved out of my family’s house. I started taking more responsibility for my own life. Going to the Beijing Paralympic Games in 2008 was also a key milestone. But the real turning point came when I had my daughter. I was afraid to take care of her on my own but I pushed myself to learn. That was when I realised I could balance my responsibilities as a mother and an athlete.
I try to keep a broad perspective on life. There are always challenges and hardships in the world but I understand that these are part of the human experience. I’ve been involved in community projects, especially with people in Afghanistan, through my church, and it’s these kinds of initiatives that remind me to keep going.
Then my daughter was going through adolescence and severe depression and I had to choose between my career as an athlete and my role as a mother. Naturally, being a mother came first. This period was compounded by my ADHD diagnosis and adjustments to my medication that affected my performance. Despite everything, in the last few months before the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, I was able to regain my physical condition and prepare the best way I ever had. Despite not winning a medal, I felt stronger than before.
As a high-profile athlete, I think it's crucial to use my platform to raise awareness around social issues. However, I also believe in doing so responsibly and with awareness. Even simple actions, like what we share on social media, can have a great influence on others. For example, when I shared pictures of my training gear, I realised that not everyone can afford such equipment and it’s important to be sensitive about that. I try to be cautious, not wanting to cause controversy. For now, I prefer to use social media for professional purposes but I know that using our platforms for good causes is essential. Awareness and responsibility are key.
If I had the opportunity, I’d focus on the rights of people with disabilities and the state of education. The public education system, especially in Brazil, has a huge gap in terms of resources and quality. Often, politicians don’t address the issues faced by people with disabilities adequately and education doesn’t get the attention it deserves. I feel the need to speak about the inequalities in both areas. I’m also concerned about how people with disabilities are marginalised. For example, many still don’t realise that there are accessible resources for people with disabilities. It's something that should be discussed more but unfortunately, the issues are often overlooked.
After my career in sport, I realised the void that came with it. For athletes, the post-career phase can be tough. However, this was the moment I saw the opportunity to return to studying, which I had always put on hold. The pandemic gave me the time to start studying law and it’s been rewarding. Education opens up so many opportunities and I want to use what I’ve learned from my career in sport to help others. Teaching children about the importance of education and sport could help them in the same way judo helped me.
I believe that a good life is about more than just material comfort, it’s about education, political awareness and social responsibility. We need better education for both children and adults. It's essential to understand not just our own needs but also the needs of others. We have to build a society where people care about each other’s wellbeing, not just their own. In Brazil, people often sell their votes for basic food baskets and this is a problem that’s still pervasive in our society. A good life requires education that empowers people to make informed decisions and contribute to the common good.”
Linking back to her experiences as a high-level athlete, Lucia thinks about all she has learned both on and off the tatami and how she approached the Games in Paris last summer. She had her own way of seeing the event, “I arrived in Paris with some worries because I had heard a lot of negative things about the facilities. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The accommodation in the Olympic Village was accessible and I slept comfortably. However, there were some challenges with transport, mainly because of the abundance of bikes and scooters on the roads. The most problematic aspect was a short path with stairs that felt like a children's playground. It was not accessible and quite dangerous.
Between countries like France and Brazil, there are clear differences in the systems for supporting athletes. The structures are better and there’s more focus on accessibility and inclusion in France, however, I see great potential in Brazil. We’re still in the process of developing these systems but I believe that with time, Brazil will improve and offer more opportunities for people with disabilities.
I envision helping others in the future; there’s nothing more rewarding than helping others. I’m passionate about giving back and want to continue helping people, especially those with disabilities. If I can make a difference in someone’s life, I will.”
Lucia Da Silva Araujo has experience, she has knowledge, but she also has a very human approach, which could work wonders to create the conditions of a better society where disability is not a weakness but a strength.
Source: Hanna Stepanik from the Fairplay Initiative in Vienna.