What, where, when and how: Special Olympics MENA Games 2018 Abu Dhabi explained

On Sunday March 18, Special Olympics IX MENA Games 2018 Abu Dhabi will begin in earnest with more than 1,000 athletes from 31 countries competing across 16 sports.

The MENA Games are a prelude to the Special Olympics World Games, which come to Abu Dhabi in March 2019. The World Games are the largest humanitarian event in the World, with over 7000 athletes from over 170 nations expected to compete. The mission of Special Olympics is to enrich the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, through the joy of sports.

Here’s the what, where, when and how for the Special Olympics MENA Games 2018 Abu Dhabi, with everything you need to know about public access, venue locations and competition timings…

ADNEC is the main hub of the Games and will host five sports across its site: basketball, badminton, roller skating, volleyball and table tennis.

•   On days 1 and 2, competitions for all five sports will begin at 10:00 and finish around 18:00 — day 1 is the only day to see roller skating.

•   On day 3, volleyball and table tennis only have medal ceremonies, at 13:00, 13:30 and 15:00. Basketball and badminton have full days of competition from 10:00 onwards, wrapped up by their respective medal ceremonies at 17:00 and 18:00.

New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) will host three sports: athletics, swimming and power lifting.

•   On days 1 and 2, competitions begin at 10:00 with swimming finishing around 16:00, while athletics and power lifting go on until around 18:00.

•   On day 3, there are only medal ceremonies for power lifting and swimming, at 13:30 and 15:00. Athletics has a full day from 10:00 to 18:00.

•   Also on day 3 at NYUAD are two extra competitions, unique to Special Olympics:

MATP — motor activity training programme — is designed for athletes with severe or profound intellectual disability and significant physical disabilities who are unable to participate in official Special Olympics sport competitions because of their skill and/or functional abilities. MATP takes place from 09:00 to 11:30.

Speedball — Speedball will be an exhibition sport in Abu Dhabi and resembles football but is played in a gym and players can use their hands as well as their feet. Speedball takes place from 15:00 to 16:30.

Zayed Sports City will host three sports: tennis, football and bowling.

•   On day 1, all competitions take place from 09:00 to 17:00.

•   On day 2, competitions start between 09:00 and 10:00, finishing at staggered times —bowling is wrapped up by 11:00; tennis is done by 12:00 with a medal ceremony at 13:30; football stops at 11:30, then restarts from 15:00 to 17:00.

•   On day 3, only football will be played with competition and medal ceremonies taking place in sequence from 10:00 to 17:00.

Armed Forces Officers Club will host just one sport, bocce, which is an Italian game with the basic principle of rolling a bocce ball closest to the target ball, which is called a palina.

•   On days 1 and 2, bocce takes place from 09:00 to 17:00 with a medal ceremony at the end of each day.

•   On day 3, bocce takes place from 09:00 to 12:00, with a medal ceremony until 12:30.

Al Forsan’s specialist facilities will host equestrian.

•   Day 1 for equestrian is divisioning — the qualifying process in Special Olympics.

•   On day 2, competition takes place from 09:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 17:00.

•   On day 3, competition takes place from 09:00 with medal ceremonies at 11:00 and 16:30.

Al Jazira Club will host just one sport: handball.

•   On days 1, 2 and 3, competition takes place from 10:00 to 18:30, with a medal ceremony on day 3 until 20:00.

Mubadala Arena will host one of the most iconic Olympic sports: gymnastics.

•   Taking place on day 1, competition starts at 10:00 and finishes with a medal ceremony at 16:30.

Yas Marina Circuit, using its famous track, will host the cycling.

•   On day 1, competition takes place from 10:00 to 16:00.

•   On day 2, competition takes place from 10:00 to 18:00.

•   On Day 3 there is no competition but a medal ceremony for cycling will take place at ADNEC at 14:00.

Special Olympics IX MENA Games Abu Dhabi 2018 will take place in Abu Dhabi from March 14- 23 2018, ahead of the national games next year. Nearly 1,800 athletes with intellectual disabilities of all ages and abilities will come together from across the region to compete in 16 sports.

Both the Special Olympics IX MENA Games Abu Dhabi 2018 and the Special Olympic World Games 2019 support the UAE’s vision for inclusion and full integration of people with disabilities into every facet of society, and further underpin the nation’s leadership and commitment to this area for the world to follow.

“The UAE’s hosting of the 2019 Special Olympic World Games reflects the world’s confidence in UAE’s capabilities, youth, and humanitarian image. We welcome the world’s best athletes to the UAE and congratulate the Special Olympics leadership on promoting inclusion and tolerance through sport”, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi & Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

For the athletes taking part, not only are the Special Olympics IX MENA Games Abu Dhabi 2018 an arena for them to test their skills against the world’s best, but they are a catalyst to enable them to reach their full potential, achieve greater social inclusion, and generally improve their lives.

“I’m a professional runner and sprinter in the Special Olympics. I became interested in running in grade 1, when I was 7 years old”, explains Hamda Ali Al Hosani, 29, sprinter and gold medalist. “My mother encouraged me to start running and encouraged me to join the Special Olympics UAE. Joining the Special Olympics and trying new sports gave me confidence, and I’d like to encourage everyone with disabilities try more activities that boost their confidence too. In the Middle East, people look at disabilities as a bad thing, but I want to change that negative perception”

Hamda Ali Al Hosani has won 15 medals in sprinting throughout her career, having competed internationally against the world’s best Paralympic athletes.

For more information on Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, visit AbuDhabi2019.org