Special Olympics UAE Closes First Unified 3x3 Basketball Tournament

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 25th Sep, 2021) Special Olympics UAE, in collaboration with Jam Sports Academy, conculded its first Unified 3x3 basketball tournament today in Dubai with the attendance of Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Chairperson of the Special Olympics UAE and Fatma Mohamed, Head of Strategy and Projects at Special Olympics UAE.

The final leg of the 3x3 Unified Basketball tournament took place in Al Ittihad Private school – Jumeira, where five men and three women teams participated from the Dubai Club for People of Determination, Al Thiqah Club for Handicapped, Heroes of Hope – Dubai, and players from Jam Sports academy took part as unified partners.

The tournament was held to train and prepare Athletes for the World Games Berlin 2023 with the support of the UAE Basketball Association, who provided referees throughout the tournament.

Furthermore, the Healthy Athletes Programme’s Clinical Directors gave Athletes free dental health screenings throughout the tournament.

The Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Chairperson of the Special Olympics UAE said: "We are proud of the success of the tournament and grateful for the instrumental support provided by Special Olympics UAE’s strategic partners. The clubs, coaches, families of Athletes and care and support staff, have all exerted tremendous efforts to facilitate the return to in-person sports programmes, and to once again, give our Athletes, People of Determination with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, an outlet for their passion for sports in a safe and fun environment; they are also our heroes today.

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Today, Special Olympics UAE also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Jam Sports Academy to continue collaborating on development of multiple sports programs, including handball, table tennis, and tennis. The programs will introduce Special Olympics UAE’s Athletes to different sports and will prepare them for upcoming regional and international tournaments including the World Games Berlin 2023.

The closing session in Dubai is the third and final leg in the Special Olympics UAE Basketball 3x3 tournament, which commenced on September 11 at the Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination in Abu Dhabi, followed by a second stop at Khorfakkan Club for the Disabled in Sharjah on September 18.

The tournament saw over 100 men and women Athletes participate from different clubs and centers for People of Determination with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities from across the UAE.

The Summer World Games Berlin 2023 will be hosted by Germany for the very first time, and will be held from June 17 to June 24, 2023, where thousands of People of Determination with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities will gather from around the world to participate in 26 Unified sports and activities.