Egypt qualifies for Special Olympics 1st world cup for ‘unified’ football

CAIRO – 29 December 2017: Egypt won Thursday the first Special Olympics Female Unified Football cup in the region, and qualified for the world cup that will be held in Chicago in July.

In an effort to promote social inclusion through sports, Special Olympics’ Unified Sports Program brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team; they train together and play together. Around 1.4 million people worldwide are currently engaged in the program.

Special Olympics MENA’s first Female Unified Football cup took place in Egypt between Dec. 25 and 28, with the participation of three countries: The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Tunisia and Egypt.

By winning (4-2) against UAE, Egypt qualified for the first Female Unified Football world cup, which will be held in Chicago between July 17-22, along with the 50th anniversary celebration of Special Olympics games.


Courtesy of Special Olympics Egypt

The celebration will be held under the theme “Inclusion Revolution- Play Unified-live Unified.”

The region will be competing for the world unified football cup with two teams, the male team from UAE and the female team from Egypt.

The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities defines people with intellectual disabilities as “characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior.


Ayman Abdel Wahab, Special Olympics Middle East and North Africa Regional President and Managing Director greets the winning team – Courtesy of Special Olympics Egypt

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), up to 3 percent—or almost 200 million people—have intellectual disabilities (ID) worldwide, cutting across races, ethnicities and social and economic backgrounds.

Recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Special Olympics is considered the world's largest sports organization that has prioritized children and adults with intellectual disabilities, seeking to overcome misconceptions.


Courtesy of Special Olympics Egypt

Using sports as a catalyst, SOI seeks to empower people with intellectual disabilities by enhancing their confidence and building up their personal skills. They also help create an all-inclusive society by spreading awareness about the “abilities” of persons with intellectual differences.