Oman deaf futsal team set for historic Asian debut in Kyrgyzstan

MUSCAT, JUNE 3

Oman national deaf futsal team is preparing for its first-ever appearance in the Asian Deaf Futsal Championship, which will be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from June 26 to July 5.

The participation marks an important milestone for deaf sports in the Sultanate of Oman, reflecting the growing efforts to provide athletes with hearing impairment greater opportunities to compete at regional and continental levels.

Oman have shown clear progress in recent years, taking part in the U20 World Championship in Kazakhstan in 2024 before claiming first place at the Gulf Friendship Championship later the same year. Those achievements have given the squad strong motivation ahead of their maiden Asian campaign.

Othman al Anbouri , assistant coach of the national team, said preparations are progressing well, with the squad now in its third week of training. He added that the team had already played two friendly matches and delivered encouraging performances.

“This is the first participation for Oman deaf team in Kyrgyzstan, and the players are fully focused. We started our training programme well, played two friendly matches, and the performance was good,” Al Anbouri said.

He explained that the current programme includes morning and evening sessions at Al Amal Club. The morning sessions focus on physical fitness, while the evening sessions are dedicated to tactical work, including set pieces, counter-attacks, building play under pressure and individual and two-player situations.

Al Anbouri added that the team will hold a one-week training camp in Sur next week, during which they will play several friendly matches to improve match readiness before the championship.

“The camp in Sur will be important for us. We will play a number of matches there to ensure that the players reach the best possible level before the tournament,” he said.

Players train at Al Amal Club as Oman gear up for their first Asian Deaf Futsal Championship appearance.

GULF CHAMPIONS

The assistant coach pointed out that the squad includes a strong mix of experienced players and new faces. He said most of the players who won the Gulf title in late 2024 remain with the team, with the addition of three or four new players, giving the squad more balance and options.

Player Abdullah al Riyami expressed his pride in representing Oman in the continental event, saying the players are determined to raise the national flag and compete strongly.

“Our training is going well. We have morning and evening sessions, and the coaches are helping us with planning, organisation and tactics. Our aim is to raise the flag of the Sultanate of Oman and achieve a good result,” Al Riyami said.

He added that the players had benefited greatly from the technical staff and would seek to apply what they learned during the tournament.

Meanwhile, player Ibrahim al Hadhrami said the team are focused on working together and proving that athletes with hearing impairment are capable of achieving success at international level.

“We are developing our skills through training, and our goal is to show that people with hearing impairment can achieve success like everyone else,” Al Hadhrami said.

Speaking about wearing the number 10 shirt, he said the number does not create pressure for him. “I do not look at the number; I look at Oman. What matters is that we cooperate as one team. Success does not come from one player only, but from team spirit,” he added.

Sayyida Naila bint Hamad al Busaidy, Chairperson of the Oman Deaf Sports Committee, praised the efforts of the players and technical staff, noting that the team had been training for around three months as part of a continuous preparation programme.

She stressed that the committee is keen to support deaf athletes, integrate them into society through sport and provide them with opportunities to represent Oman abroad.

The squad includes Abdullah al Riyami, Ibrahim al Hadhrami, Hassan al Ghafri, Marwan al Salmani, Mohammed al Maamari, Ali al Rahbi, Maytham al Ghammari, Osama al Amri, Ayoub al Hinai, Radhi al Araimi, Ayman al Aufi and Khalid al Shabibi. The team is coached by Younis al Fahdi, assisted by Othman al Anbouri , while Majid al Wardi serves as physiotherapist.

Oman will be looking to deliver a strong performance in their first Asian appearance and build on the positive momentum achieved in recent years.