‘THESE ATHLETES TAUGHT ME PLENTY ABOUT FOCUS AND PATIENCE’
▶ Team coach tells how young people with cognitive disability put their talent and ability on centre stage
When the Special Olympics Mena Games start on Wednesday there will be plenty of lessons to be learnt by all.
Hosting the world’s largest sporting event for people with intellectual disabilities next year and a regional version of the games this week could bring a complete shift in attitude.
One of the UAE basketball team coaches for the Special Olympics says he has already learnt focus and patience from the athletes.
“They are very focused. You don’t have to teach them that,” says Hisham Farouq, the sports supervisor at the Sharjah Centre for Humanitarian Services.
“You learn a lot from them about patience and hard work. It is also a lot of fun working with them – it’s not hard work at all.”
Mr Farouq has worked with Special Olympics teams for the past 15 years.
“Once they have understood the game, they like being on the court all the time. We have to tell them to stop,” he says. “It also sends a very good message to the community about how determined they are as sportspeople.”
The team practises four times a week and is in training at least twice a day at a camp in Al Ain.
It is important to steer children with intellectual disabilities toward sport, starting from the ages of 4 to 6, Mr Farouq says.
“Depending on their level and ability when they are young they can start with ball play on the floor. Some move on to football, swimming, tennis or table tennis when they are 8 or 10.
“You start by putting small goals and low baskets when teaching them to dribble and shoot. But they pick it up quickly.”
Bocce is one of the games taught to children with development disabilities to give them the opportunity to connect with others and gain confidence. The main principle in the game is to roll a bocce ball closest to the target.
Early initiation into sport helps with motor development, health and fitness and prepares them for competition at all levels.
Before games begin at the Special Olympics, athletes are placed in divisions based on their ability and skill.
“When they keep playing and start winning medals, they are so proud of their achievement,” Mr Farouq says. “My players have won in games in Los Angeles, Athens, Cairo and Morocco.”
Hosting the Games in the UAE will make parents and care-givers realise the opportunities open to their young charges, experts say.
Inspired by the Games, some centres such as Al Noor and Tender Hearts Arena are working with mainstream schools so their pupils play sports and take part in activities with special needs children.
“The very fact that the Games are coming here brings into people’s awareness what people with special needs can achieve,” says Isphana Al Khatib, the director of the Al Noor Training Centre.
“They will realise it’s not just athletes with physical disabilities but people with mental challenges participating. This exercise will build into the psyche of the UAE and the local
The Games bring to the fore people who were previously marginalised and left in the background
community about the capability and talent of people with cognitive challenges.
“It raises an understanding in the general population that there is a possibility of these young adults being everywhere and doing everything.”
The games bring to the fore people who were previously left in the background.
“This population is marginalised and these events will bring them to centre stage,” Ms Al Khatib says. “They are not to be put in a corner but with the right opportunities they are perfectly capable of being part of big events.
“It is a matter of providing a platform and opportunity. It’s a great initiative because it is taking place at a national level. It’s a matter of nurturing potential whether it’s a sport or any other talent.
“If you are viewing them constantly as limited people, then you are closing your mind. But if you constantly look at them as people with potential then you are open to their talent and abilities. This will be a huge step in the right direction.”
Experts say the Games will encourage parents to explore sport as an option for all children with disabilities and not just athletes with potential.
“Sport is extremely important for children to develop holistically,” says Niamh O Shea, the director of the Pace Centre in Dubai, where pupils with disabilities have weekly group and individual sports sessions.
“By working in a group, children can develop social skills and learn how to feel part of a team. They can improve in confidence. Sports allows our students opportunities for success that they may not have within a classroom environment.”
From an early age, Hamda Al Hosani’s parents realised she had a disability. By grade six, her mother told The National, her body was “collapsing”, forcing her to leave school. This month, Al Hosani – now a decorated sprinter boasting 15 Special Olympics medals – will represent the UAE in the Special Olympics Mena Games in Abu Dhabi, the largest sporting event for people with intellectual disabilities this region has ever seen. The event, beginning with a glittering opening ceremony on Wednesday, precedes the Special Olympics World Games, due to be held in the emirate next year. More than 170 Emiratis will compete across 16 sports – from table tennis to swimming – alongside 1,000 athletes from 32 countries. Al Hosani, who won gold at the 2015 Los Angeles games, has refused to let her ill health become a barrier in the pursuit of her dreams. Today, she is dedicated to changing perceptions of people with disabilities. Her story is an inspiration to us all.
The games are part of a global movement to support and drive change for disabled people. They epitomise empowerment and inclusion, a message powerfully endorsed by this country’s rulers. Every Friday, Umm Al Emarat Park has attracted scores of people walking in unison to raise awareness ahead of this and next year’s games. Prominent public figures have participated, alongside ambassadors and diplomats. Various companies have followed this example, throwing their support and resources behind the games. Etihad Airways, for instance, will transport athletes to Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, the residents of this country have embraced the games, with more than 9,000 people volunteering over just three months to ensure they run smoothly. The UAE is striving to support those with physical and cognitive disabilities.
And with good reason. The games offer an important message about knocking down barriers. Today, no one with a disability should be discouraged from doing what they love. With dedication and the support of their loved ones, the athletes who will converge in Abu Dhabi this month have excelled in their chosen sports. The inspiring stories behind every competitor will hearten those who are born with disabilities, and unite thousands of spectators as sport is uniquely capable of doing. The UAE, with its emphasis on sympathy and equality, is the perfect setting for such an historic event.