Special Olympics – Games to keep on giving
Athletes will visit schools in Abu Dhabi to inspire and educate about world’s largest sporting event of its kind
Hosting the Special Olympic Games will create opportunities for those with disabilities and create a lasting legacy that will ensure they are not marginalised and overlooked, organisers say.
People with intellectual disabilities are set to be centre stage during the Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi in 18 months with preparations ranging from health check-ups, training for athletes and doctors, surveys and art installations planned over the next year.
“It is a fantastic opportunity to address the challenges in the UAE and the region and to create a legacy to inspire change that will continue even after the Games,” said Tala Al Ramahi, chief strategy officer for the Special Olympics World Games during the Future Accessibility Summit in Dubai yesterday.
“We hope it will have lasting impact as a platform for policy formation in countries across the Middle East and North Africa region. We will reach students and through them to their families with content on disabilities, inclusion, the Special Olympics that will be part of school curriculum.”
The planning goes beyond the 24 sports that will bring together more than 7,000 athletes from across the world in 2019. It will seek to change the stigma linked to people with developmental disabilities in the region.
School curriculums across the country will incorporate information about a community that is often marginalised and overlooked. Pupils will read about case studies as part of the moral education programme, with visits of Special Olympic athletes to schools to spread knowledge about the games.
Sensitive subjects such as misconceptions linked to intellectual disabilities will be covered in a survey in the UAE and 10 other nations that will begin in the next three weeks with results expected by the end of the year.
The survey will also focus on the needs and expectations of this community and shadow some subjects to gain a better understanding of the challenges they face.
A second survey only for the UAE will be conducted after the Games to find out whether attitudes
and understanding have changed.
“We want to understand is if there is a shift in perception through the campaigning and all the activities,” she said.
“We are also trying to make sure that people understand that there are different types of
disabilities. A challenge we had when Abu Dhabi won the bid to host the Games is that many people thought we were hosting the Paralympics because people don’t separate disability groups.”
The survey will primarily focus on people with intellectual disabilities with a few general questions on disabilities.
Artists will be paired with people with disabilities to create permanent sculptures and art work in public spaces in Abu Dhabi. M
While UAE nationals have participated in these Games for several years in sports such as basketball, football, swimming, floor hockey, the organisers are hoping for involvement in all sports.
The venues will be tested as early as March next year during the 10-day Mena Games. in which 1,500 athletes from 30 regional countries will participate in 16 sports.
Healthy athlete screenings are a key part of the games with obesity, diabetes, vision and dental problems some of the many issues addressed.
Teaching doctors how to handle this special population and use specific tools for screening began in the capital this month with a plan for trained doctors in every emirate.
“Examination at competition is the first time some of them see a doctor,” said Peter Wheeler, chief executive of the Special Olympics World Games.
“The health programmes help to take the community out of the shadows. This is not just about sports, but health and education to build a legacy. The games are a wonderful catalyst to create new initiatives and build something sustainable in the future.”
A programme called Project Unify will be launched to encourage tudents and pupils to share the message of inclusion in schools and colleges. Campaigns will also spread awareness about how people with cognitive issues are two or three more times likely to be bullied than their peers and how difficult it is for them to communicate this.
The Special Olympic Games takes place every two years and Abu Dhabi will become the first city in the Middle East to host the event that will draw athletes from 170 countries with more than 500,000 spectators.
Athletes compete in sports including athletics, aquatics, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, equestrian, football, gymnastics, handball, power-lifting, table tennis, tennis, roller skating, and volleyball.