News and views from Maryrose Monnier

Underwater passion

The return to a Swiss lifestyle at the end of the 1970s came as something of a shock: “But after some time, I noticed that the city wanted to escape its usual inertia. It was then that I undertook physiotherapy studies.” Passionate from head to toe,  Maryrose Monnier also feels a profound admiration for sharks: “I love diving. But not swimming-pool diving; true deep-sea diving. These dives replenish me and it’s this which allows me to be authentic with disabled people.”

Disability and the integration of disabled people: they’re the battle cry of this Lausannoise. “I’m not a coach of any sport, but I have watched disabled people progress. They are people who can only very rarely express their skills, because it takes an awful lot of time. I could give you the example of a young girl who took 5 years to learn how to play table tennis.”

A perfect city for sport

The small club of 20 years ago has transformed itself into a group of fourteen clubs with several sports: “A colleague and I fought to have rooms benefiting from disabled access, thereby empowering these people. I would also like people to take this over, so that we can pass this experience on to them.”

And when Maryrose Monnier is asked what she thinks of her city, Lausanne, she doesn’t hesitate, enthusing: “It’s the perfect city for sport. I remember the time when I came back from my trip. I found the city boring and sheltered. Today, it’s so different. You can congratulate the city’s sports department for the enormous amount of work it gets through.” When it comes to unwinding, Maryrose Monnier enjoys going to Kahuna Bar “because I can go there and dream. And I hope to see the famous Olympic swimming pool built soon.”