During a recent site visit to the United Arab Emirates, IWBF Secretary-General, Norbert Kucera and Charlie Bethel, Chairman of IWBF’s Competition Commission, took time out of their schedule to visit an inclusion project that is sweeping the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at Ajman University.
The project is seeing wheelchair basketball rolled out across universities to promote inclusion and recruit more people into disability sport. In a meeting the previous evening, the President of the UAE National Paralympic Committee, Mohamed Alhameli explained how wheelchair basketball was used as a driver for all Paralympic sports in the United Arab Emirates.
As part of their visit they witnessed players from the university compete in a short two period game in front of students from the University and dignitaries including the Chancellor of Ajman University, Dr. Karim Seghir, Dubai Club for People of Determination Chairman & Fazza LOC President, Mr. Thani Jumma Berrega, and UAE NPC’s Secretary General, Mr. Theban Almehiri.
Ajman University had organized the wheelchair basketball game between able-bodied and wheelchair basketball athletes, as part of an inclusion project of wheelchair basketball in the community. The. sport event is a part of bachelor (BSC) graduation project for one of the students from mass and media faculty in the University, which reflects the community’s interest in wheelchair basketball.
The event was covered by both Ajman local media and social media from the Dubai Club for People of Determination.
Following the showcase game Dr. Karim Seghir, presented Mr Kucera and Mr Bethel with a token of appreciation to mark the occasion.
Dubai have just been awarded the rights to host the 2022 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships.
