More than 1,000 athletes from across the Emirates competed in the UAE Games, hoping to be selected to represent the country at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Chile next year.
Wednesday marked the end of the competition in Abu Dhabi and was a milestone in efforts to prepare athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities for the bigger stage.
Under the watchful eyes of coaches and trainers, athletes have in the past week competed in sports including badminton and basketball. It has offered an opportunity to show how ready they are for the next level of competition.
“The UAE Games serve as an important and inspiring sporting platform to assess the development of athletes,” said Amr Badawi, head of sports and training at Special Olympics UAE. “The event helps us evaluate their progress, identify the most promising talent and prepare them for upcoming regional competitions."
The Games were a "highly important qualifying event" for athletes looking to compete in the Summer Games in Santiago.
Regional Games
Mr Badawi said performances at the UAE Games would be reviewed and athletes selected for regional competitions, including gymnastics and powerlifting contests in Egypt in September. Badminton and table tennis competitions will also take place in Oman in October.
Players in team sports including basketball, volleyball, football and bocce will be selected to represent the UAE in regional contests hosted in Saudi Arabia in November.
There will then be a series of competitions in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain in December.
“The UAE Games have been the largest and most significant sporting event held within the country every two years,” Mr Badawi said. “The athletes gain valuable competitive experience.”
More than 1,000 athletes from clubs and centres in the UAE participated in the Games. The Abu Dhabi Sports Club for People of Determination, part of the Zayed Authority for People of Determination, topped the medal tally with 62. Al Thiqah Club for Disabled finished second with 55 medals and Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services was third with 50 medals.
Reaching for goals
Majid Abdullah, 30, was among those with reason to celebrate, after winning silver in badminton. “I won,” he shouted, raising his arms to acknowledge the cheers from his teammates after a decisive drop shot.
“This would not have been possible without my coach [Al Thiqah Club's Ahmed Abdelrazek]. I train hard," the Emirati athlete added on the court inside the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. “I like to keep training. I like to be ready. I enjoy badminton. Playing sport regularly is most important for me.”
Abdelrazek trains 11 athletes and began teaching them the basics a year ago. “It’s about footwork, how to serve, master hand-eye co-ordination, hit the shuttle, understand the rules, learn where to stand on the court and when to switch sides,” he said.
“Badminton has really helped the athletes because it is fast-paced. They need to take decisions in a fraction of a second. They must make tactical choices, observe the opponent and decide where should they play, which place is best to take their shot. It has been a great learning experience and helped them tremendously.”
Towering power
Another competitor in the capital was Khawla Ali, 22. She has learnt how to use her height to her advantage when representing the Dubai Club for People of Determination in basketball.
At more than 1.7 metres tall, the Emirati athlete is a towering presence on the court. “I’m tall. It’s easy for me to score,” she said. "I like when my team passes to me so I can score. My height helps me stop others from scoring. Everyone says it’s difficult to get a ball past me. I like that."
Coach Latifa Essarokh trains women in basketball, badminton and table tennis.
“We prepare them to be ready for the big tournaments, a bigger audience, to be comfortable with more people around," she said. "I try and instil in them to keep calm so they are not intimidated. I want them to focus and also enjoy the game – that’s the most important.”
Special Olympics UAE Games - in pictures
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Athletes attend the Special Olympics UAE Games 2026 opening ceremony at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. All photos: Ryan Lim for The National -
The opening ceremony brought together competitors in swimming, powerlifting, badminton, basketball and football from clubs across the UAE, along with overseas Special Olympics delegations -
The spectacular opening ceremony at Adnec -
Members of the Moroccan squad at the UAE Games opening ceremony -
The games are a key part of the athletes’ preparation for the Special Olympics World Games -
As athletes and their families cheered, the opening celebrations featured a parade, an oath-taking ceremony, a torch relay, the lighting of the cauldron and dance and musical performances -
Special Olympics UAE provides year-round training and organises competitions in Olympic-recognised sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities to ensure they are an integral part of the community and proudly represent the nation -
Athletes cheer before the opening ceremony -
The Special Olympics UAE Games 2026 logo -
Athletes arrive for the opening ceremony
