MUSCAT: The regional training course for Paralympic swimming, organised by the Oman Paralympic Committee (OPC) in collaboration with the West Asian Paralympic Federation and the Arab Federation for Sports of the Disabled, kicked off on Wednesday at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher. The course runs until June 13, with 20 trainees from various Arab countries and the West Asian region participating. A select group of experts specialising in Paralympic swimming are delivering lectures during the course, including Dr Misbah Jaafar, Dr Mohammed Jaafar, and Dr Khaled Abdulaziz al Qurashi, who have extensive experience in coaching, refereeing, and organising Paralympic swimming competitions. In his opening speech, Dr Mansour bin Sultan al Touqi, President of the Oman Paralympic Committee, emphasised that this is the first- event of-its-kind in the Sultanate of Oman, reflecting the committee’s commitment to achieving its strategy of diversity and expanding opportunities for people with disabilities to practice sports.
He noted that the course represents a significant step toward developing Paralympic sports in the region, adding: “Through this course, we aim to prepare qualified personnel capable of supporting athletes with disabilities and enhancing the awareness and infrastructure for Paralympic swimming both locally and regionally.” He also stated that hosting this course for the first time in the Sultanate of Oman aligns with Oman Vision 2040, which aims to promote social inclusion and support people with disabilities through sports activities. The course activities commenced with a programme that included both theoretical and practical sessions covering the fundamentals of Paralympic swimming training for various disability categories. The course also included specialised sessions on international refereeing mechanisms and medical classification standards in accordance with the International Paralympic Committee’s approved regulations. Furthermore, the course covered team management and organising Paralympic championships, including planning and managing training camps, designing warm-up programmes, and addressing the psychological and social aspects of the athletes. Participants have the opportunity to engage, ask questions and participate in group workshops to enhance knowledge exchange.
It is noteworthy that this course aims to qualify and train coaches and classifiers in Paralympic swimming, as well as referees and administrators, while familiarising participants with qualification policies for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games. The course also seeks to develop national capabilities in Arab countries and West Asia, building a strong foundation to support and develop Paralympic swimming in the region, thereby expanding participation and achieving sports excellence.
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