Mansour bin Mohammed attends the opening of the World Wheelchair Basketball Championship for People of Determination

His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Protection of the Rights of People of Determination, welcomed the teams participating in the tournament from around the world to Dubai and with the holding of its competitions for the first time in the Arab region and the Middle East. The wise leadership attaches great importance to people of determination and its constant keenness to involve them in sports life and motivate distinguished talents to participate in local and international sports forums and competitions.

His Highness stressed that sport is one of the most important areas that promote the integration of people of determination in society and confirm that they are an important and influential part of its fabric, which is reflected in the directives of the wise leadership to find all opportunities to enhance the participation of people of determination in various aspects of life, especially encouraging them to engage in the sports field, and helping them hone their skills in various games.

Commenting on hosting the World Wheelchair Basketball Championship for people of determination for the first time in the Arab world, His Highness the Chairman of Dubai Sports Council stressed that Dubai has been keen to provide all the ingredients for success for this tournament to be a milestone in the history of the tournament, as it has always done in providing all the elements of success for what it hosts annually of major international events, including exhibitions, conferences and sports tournaments within various games, depending on the emirate's distinguished infrastructure, including facilities. Sporting equipment is one of the best in the world, hospitality services ensure guests from different countries the highest levels of comfort, and Dubai's position as a meeting point for the world east and west, which is reinforced by its highly distinguished aviation and travel capabilities.

This came during His Highness's attendance at the opening ceremony of the World Wheelchair Basketball Championship for People of Determination this evening (Friday), which is hosted by Dubai as the first Arab and Middle Eastern city after 13 years of hosting it in European, Asian and American cities, and organized by the Dubai Club for People of Determination, and its competitions will be held at the Dubai World Trade Center from 9-20 June, with the participation of 350 players representing 28 teams, 16 teams for men and 12 for women.

On the sidelines of the tournament, for three days, the "Congress" of the International Federation will be held, during which the President of the Federation and the new members of the Federation will be elected for the next session of the Federation.

His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum expressed that the UAE and Dubai welcome all participants from all over the world, wishing them all success and reaching advanced stages within the championship competitions.

Leadership Attention

In his speech during the opening ceremony, the Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee of the tournament, Thani Juma in Raggad, expressed his happiness to host the World Cup in wheelchair basketball for people of determination in Dubai, welcoming the participating teams in the UAE, extending his deep thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for his patronage of the global event hosted by Dubai for the first time in the Arab world and the Middle East, and the indications that this sponsorship carries that reflect the extent of the attention it pays The wise leadership of the sports sector for people of determination and keenness to encourage athletes to further excellence in their respective fields, and thanked the sponsors of the global event, volunteers and various work teams.

Global event

For his part, Ulf Mehrens, President of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation, thanked His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for sponsoring this important global event, the Dubai Sports Council for its support for the vision of the Dubai Club for People of Determination, and the organizing committee for its keenness to present a global event commensurate with Dubai's global position and reputation among the international sports community.

"The goal of the Wheelchair Basketball World Championship is not only to present the best team, but also to achieve the full integration of this category, as the tournament is a platform to bring players to the forefront that will be a source of inspiration for participants in this major global event," he said.

Main Station

The tournament is a key qualifying stop for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which will feature just eight teams. In addition to the UAE, the teams participating in the tournament are: Egypt, Iraq, Algeria, the United States, England, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Iran, Japan, China, South Korea, Thailand, Brazil and Argentina.