“For you, what is autism? The question is the red thread of the documentary Eleven of legend, taken from the eponymous program of the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Endowment Fund. In football, a legendary eleven is the ideal team. Here, it is composed of Blanche, Emile, Léonard, Clément, Paul-Vadim or Ewenn. A total of sixteen children between the ages of 9 and 11, some of whom have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the others being what is called “neurotypical”, meaning that their neurological functioning is considered standard.
For six months, on Wednesdays, they meet at the Stade de la Plaine, in Clamart (Hauts-de-Seine), to train for a tournament against the PSG U9s (young people under 9). .
More than football, it is about inclusion and the relationship to disability. ASD results, in fact, in difficulties in communication and social interactions, limited or repetitive behavior – even crises –, sometimes motor delays… Elements that most often exclude autistic people from activities group like team sports. “The first time, it’s clear that I’m on the alert, to be completely frank,” says Baïla Dia, one of the program’s sports educators. Inevitably, there are behaviors that I discover at that time. Behaviors sometimes a source of tension, as when this little boy tries to attract the attention of one of his neurotypical classmates by chasing and hitting him.
“A group responsibility”
Eleven of legend does not hide certain difficulties of cohabitation between the young participants in the program and the frequent needs for adjustment of the educators, so that everyone finds his account. It takes time. But the more you meet people with disabilities, the easier it will be to relate to them, because disability is “no longer associated with a stereotypical vision”, says Cyrielle Derguy, teacher-researcher in psychology at the Paris City University.
The testimonies of the parents, told throughout the documentary, offer an insight into the daily reality of autistic children. Emile, diagnosed at 9 years old and followed in a day hospital; Caucasian, screened at birth with hearing loss and hypotonia, who feels fine underwater; or Rohane, who is undergoing equine therapy to channel his energy and help him concentrate better… The participation of their children in the project? For parents, stimulation, pride, but above all joy.
The documentary also lets neurotypical young people speak, allowing viewers to measure the evolution of their perception. “Initially, it was a bunch of kids who wanted to play football. Little by little, we feel that they will be responsible for these autistic children. They feel a group responsibility,” argues pediatrician Dominique Brunet. “I thought it was football, but it’s not that,” said one of them.
An experience from which everyone wins and a way to demonstrate that inclusion is not just a word. The training sessions of the legendary Eleven, at the origin of the documentary, resumed the following season.
