Meet UAE’s veteran wheelchair basketball star on lookout for next generation of Players

An Emirati wheelchair basketball star has hailed the power of sport to bring society together - and issued a plea for parents to help children with disabilities to get involved.

An Emirati wheelchair basketball star has hailed the power of sport to bring society together - and issued a plea for parents to help children with disabilities to get involved.

Mohammed Al Zarooni has proudly represented the Emirates in international competition for more than 22 years and was part of the national team taking part in the Wheelchair Basketball World Championships, which concluded in Dubai on Tuesday.

The major event, staged in the Middle East for the first time, saw 350 men and women take to the court for a shot at global glory.

Now a seasoned veteran at 42, Al Zarooni is eager for the next generation to lead the UAE to future success in the sport.

He is also keen for more children with all forms of disabilities to be given the opportunity to take part, saying his own experiences made him a better person.

“I want to tell parents, 'speak up for your children'. Take them to special needs clubs that each city has,” he said in an interview with The National.

“We are searching for people with disabilities to be part of our team. For the last five years we have had no new players. Each year if we get more players, we can practice and improve."

Sport brings people together

The success of the Special Olympic World Games - hosted in Abu Dhabi four years ago - helped shine a light on the significant role sport can play in paving the way for a more inclusive future.

The UAE has sent the region's largest delegation to the latest competition, currently being held in Berlin, including 72 athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities taking part in 20 sports.

The equality mission extends to bolstering female participation, with the UAE yet to field a women's team in the wheelchair basketball world championships.

The first step was taken this week when a UAE women’s team comprising Emirati athletes and expatriates from Bahrain and Yemen played a friendly during the world championships.

UAE leaders have often spoken of their vision for more athletes with special needs to compete and for sports to be more inclusive.

Source: The National News