The annual sports festival for people with various physical disabilities will be conducted from November 27 to December 3 at the Sultan Qaboos Sport Complex in Bausher, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.
The exclusive sports festival for the disabled aims to qualify cadres working in programmes and activities for persons with disabilities and encourage the private sector to adopt and care for this category of athletes, select best players for Paralympics and highlight the issues that face this segment of the society.
A number of ministries, associations and committees including the Ministry of Social Development, the Association for the Care of Disabled Children, the Association for the Early Intervention of Children with Disabilities, the Omani Association for Persons with Disabilities, the Omani Association for People with Hearing Disabilities, Al Noor Society for the Blind, the Omani Special Olympics Association, the Omani Paralympic Committee, and the Omani Sports Committee are expected to participate in the 3-day sports festival.
People with hearing difficulties, Ministry of Education, special centres concerned with the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, a number of lecturers from outside the Sultanate of Oman, sign language interpreters, medical staff and referees are also taking part in the one-of-its-kind sports event.
Speaking to the Observer, Mohanna al Khashouwi from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth said that people suffering from any disability can register themselves to the event, the details of which will be publicised in the coming days.
“The sports festival was first held for 3 years from 2008 until 2011, and the total beneficiaries reached 4,405 people from 3 different governorates and we are coming back after a short hiatus. Preparations are currently underway for the fourth festival,” he said.
Competitions will be held in diverse categories including boccia, volleyball, goalball, badminton, combined football, basketball, football for the deaf and bowling, in addition to organising a number of workshops and training courses besides a wide and diverse range of programmes that include an exhibition for entrepreneurs from people with disabilities and an art show, fine art and photography, performances of musical compositions by a number of artists, and external visits to tourist attractions.
Hala al Wahaibiyah, Director of Al Aman Rehabilitation Centr at the Ministry of Social Development, said that the programme also includes visits to cultural landmarks, the Royal Opera House Muscat, and the National Museum.
“The main committee will also organise on the sidelines of the festival a symposium to discuss the most prominent issues facing people with disabilities and develop and improve the services provided to them,” Al Wahaibiyah, who is also a member of the main committee of the festival, said.
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