(Cairo, Egypt) — In the midst of the danger and chaos of war, Special Olympics Iraq athletes, coaches and Board of Directors were able to join forces and prepare a 12-member team to participate in the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland, 21 – 29 June 2003.
Even before the war in Iraq began, Special Olympics Iraq athletes were completely isolated and abandoned by a regime that faced major challenges both within Iraq and from outside the country. In a society that suffered from sanctions for decades, where food, security and medicine were considered luxuries, the population with mental retardation received no attention or care.
Immediately following the war in Iraq, these situations began to improve and the search commenced to determine who was still available from the Special Olympics Iraq team of athletes, coaches and officials. Despite the sanctions and severe living conditions, the athletes had been training regularly before the war. They were hoping to change the world around them to a better place through the joy of sports, in accordance with the Mission of Special Olympics: “To provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with mental retardation, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.”
A persistent search resulted in locating Saad Abd Yassin, the National Director of Special Olympics Iraq. Finding Saad was the first step toward the next phase of the search, trying to find the trained athletes and at least two of the coaches who could carry on with the mission and prepare the team in a war-torn country for World Games participation.
“With the Special Olympics spirit, great effort and follow-up from the Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa regional office, represented by Ali Shawahin, Middle East Organizational Development Manager, we managed to form a team of 12 delegates,” said Ayman Wahab, Managing Director, Middle East/North Africa. “Eight brave Iraqi athletes will compete in athletics and table tennis, demonstrating courage and sending a message to the whole world through the Games that Iraq is undergoing a major change in its perception and acceptance of the population with mental retardation.”
The Iraqi team members, their events, and age divisions are:
- Moustafa R. Faleeh, 18, 100- and 200-meter runs (Age group 16-21)
- Alaa Farhan, 18, 100- and 200-meter runs (Age group 16-21)
- Mohammad Hani, 13 (the youngest member of the team), 100-meter run and shotput (Men, 4Kg)
- Hesham Mohamed, 27, 100-meter run (Age group 22-29)
- Abbas Subhi, 20, 100-meter run (Age group 16-21) and shotput (Men, 4Kg
- Wissam Turki, 24, 100-meter run (Age group 22-29) and long jump
- Adel Abbas, 19, table tennis singles (Age group 16-21)
- Hussein Ghandawi, 18, table tennis singles (Age group 16-21)
Saad Abed Yassin is the Head of Delegation for the Special Olympics Iraq team and Fawzi Moustafa Osman is Assistant Head of Delegation. Bassem Ahmed Mohamed and Iman Abdul Amir are coaches.
Thanks to the assistance of a number of donors, including Chairman of the World Games Organizing Committee Denis O’Brien, who has offered to provide air transport from Iraq to Ireland, the Iraqi team’s dream of competing in Ireland at the World Games is now a reality. It’s ”showtime” for the Special Olympics delegation, and they’re ready to compete courageously and, after the World Games, carry the “Flame of Hope” back home to begin the transition toward realizing a better, more happy and healthy society for all Iraqis.
Special Olympics is an international organization dedicated to empowering children and adults with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics offers individuals with intellectual disabilities free year-round training and competition in 26 Olympic-type summer and winter sports. More than 1 million athletes in 150 countries around the world currently participate in Special Olympics (there is no charge to participate in Special Olympics). The movement has launched a quality growth campaign to reach 2 million athletes worldwide by 2005.
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