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Al Etihad
a day ago
- Sport
- Al Etihad
Meet Theban Al Mheiri, a champion for UAE's athletes of determination
29 July 2025 01:07 MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)Theban Al Mheiri was on his way to the airport that day in 1994. With dreams tucked in his pocket, the then 23-year-old Emirati was supposed to travel to the US to study an English course — but fate had other plans. Al Mheiri went through a devastating car accident that left him partially paralysed with a spinal injury. His personal journey of recovery eventually turned into a lifelong commitment to empowering people of determination. Today, Al Mheiri uses his voice, experience, and influence to help others overcome challenges he once faced alone. 'After the car accident, I faced some of the biggest challenges of my life, mainly learning how to live with and overcome my disability,' he told Aletihad in a recent interview. 'It was incredibly difficult at first. But someone r eached out and helped me, and it changed everything. From that moment, I realised I needed to do the same for others in similar situations.'In the wake of his accident, Al Mheiri turned to sports not only as a path to physical recovery but as a source of purpose and empowerment. He was one of the first Emiratis to actively participate in sports for people of athletic achievements were paralleled by a rise in leadership, culminating in his role as Secretary General of the UAE Disabled Sports Federation, a position he has held for the past eight taking on that title, he served in various capacities, including an administrative role at the Abu Dhabi Police and as a driving force in the Al Ain Club for the Disabled from 1999 to 2010. Through every role, his mission remained the same: to create opportunities and recognition for athletes of determination and to help society see their true potential.'I overcame my disability by embracing challenges with determination. Along the way, I've been able to help many others in the community,' he said. 'Often, they were simply waiting for someone to believe in them and extend a hand.'Al Mheiri believes it is his shared experience with people of determination that makes his support more meaningful. He understands that trust - when it comes from someone who has walked the same path - opens hearts.'People of determination are often more open to advice and support when it comes from someone who truly understands, someone who's lived a similar experience,' he explained.'There are physical and emotional challenges to adapting to life with a disability that you can't fully understand unless you've experienced them firsthand.'Supporting the Champions of TomorrowEarly on, Al Mheiri met others like himself in hospital waiting rooms and gymnasiums. He struck up conversations, built trust, and slowly began guiding others toward recovery and reinvention. His work has had a ripple effect throughout the UAE. He was instrumental in launching national programmes that enabled athletes of determination to represent the UAE on the global stage. He is determined to ensure that young athletes of determination have the needed resources, support, and belief to thrive.'We invest in our youth because they're the champions of tomorrow. It's our job to give them the opportunities they deserve,' he said. Al Mheiri believes that inclusion is a shared community responsibility.'People of determination are just like anyone else. When you give them trust and confidence, they'll show you they have so much to offer and can be a real asset to any community,' he said. 'To me, this is the true meaning of life – making someone else's life a little easier, a little brighter. That's what brings me peace.'In 2017, Al Mheiri received the prestigious Abu Dhabi Award in recognition of his contributions. He draws inspiration from the legacy of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who turned desert landscapes into lush greens through extensive environmental initiatives. Al Mheiri's daughter, Thabia, looks up to him with the same admiration. 'My father is my biggest hero,' she told Aletihad . 'I feel inspired by everything he does every day.'
Gulf Today
23-03-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
UAE Special Olympics a leading model for wellbeing of differently-abled athletes
The UAE Special Olympics continues to advance towards new horizons of growth and development in support of People of Determination, affirming their valued role in society. The UAE Special Olympics movement began in the early 1990s through a committee under the UAE Disabled Sports Federation, during which hundreds of athletes were trained and numerous local and regional competitions hosted. In 2017, the UAE Special Olympics was re-established as a public benefit organisation recognised by the Ministry of Community Development, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The movement gained significant momentum in 2019 following Abu Dhabi's hosting of the Special Olympics World Games, where the UAE delegation achieved historic results. That edition saw the largest athlete participation in the history of the Games, with 7,000 athletes from 200 countries. At the 2022 Malta Games, UAE Special Olympics athletes won 16 medals, including 6 gold, 8 silver, and 2 bronze. Following the global success in Abu Dhabi, the UAE Special Olympics built on this achievement with further milestones, most notably at the 2023 World Games in Berlin. There, the UAE achieved the best performance by an Arab country, claiming 73 medals – 18 gold, 22 silver, and 33 bronze. In the 2023 Asian Classic Powerlifting Championships held in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, the UAE Special Olympics powerlifting team secured 20 medals – 15 gold and 5 silver. At the 2024 Malta National Games, UAE athletes earned 15 medals across five sports, with 20 athletes from various clubs for People of Determination participating. UAE Special Olympics athletes also won 22 medals – 12 gold and 10 silver – during the Middle East and North Africa Athletics Championship held in February 2024 in Amman. In May 2024, the UAE hosted the inaugural UAE Special Olympics Games, comprising two events: one for Unified Schools with 400 athletes, and another for more than 600 athletes from clubs and centres across the country. At the Torino Games in Italy, UAE Special Olympics athletes claimed 16 medals, achieving the best performance by an Arab and Middle Eastern country in the prominent global event, with a delegation of 11 athletes. Talal Al Hashemi, National Director of UAE Special Olympics, said, "Since the 2019 Abu Dhabi Games, we have witnessed a new era of empowerment and excellence for People of Determination in sports. We have invested in a strategy aligned with the wise leadership's vision to support individuals with intellectual and developmental challenges, and we have seen remarkable progress in the development and empowerment of our athletes." WAM
