Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (ZHO) organizes the 2021 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup Competitions

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Board of Trustees of Zayed Charitable & Humanitarian Foundation (ZayedCHF) and Chairman of Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), ZHO organizes the 2021 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup Competitions from March 15th to March 25th on the Shooting Range in Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club.

The championship competitions which will be held for the fifth time in the State and for the fifth time in MENA bring together 157 participants consisting of 125 male and female players, including 91 male players and 34 female players accompanied by their trainers and heads of delegations representing 25 states from all continents of the World, in addition to 29 representatives of the International Federation for Para Shooting and referees and arbiters. The participating states are: Bhutan, Croatia, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenia, Kuwait, Pero, Portugal, Russia, KSA, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Greece in addition to our national team.

Blind Shooting for the First Time 

The champions will compete in 27 different men and women team and group games ranging from pistol, rifle and air rifle shooting at different distances and positions. Skeet shooting which was included in the third championship held in the State in 2018 continues, while the current championship witnesses the inclusion of blind shooting competitions for the first time in addition to the participation of two women from the UAE team.

Tokyo 2021 

The competitions are a perfect opportunity for champions to participate in the Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games and all international competitions and is an opportunity for the International Federation for Para Shooting to test the organization of an international championship during Covid-19 pandemic. Competitions are subject to sports arbitration and supervision of the championship and its results by the International Federation for Para Shooting.

Abdullah Ismail Al Kamali, Chairman of the event higher organizing committee and the Executive Director of People of Determination Sector at ZHO praised the concern of our leaders, represented in His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and his brother His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Emirate of Dubai, and the Rulers of the UAE for the Emirati human being and his development as a fundamental pillar in progress and prosperity and for the care and concern dedicated to all UAE society segments in general and People of Determination in particular.

He also commended the rigorous follow-up and the direct guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces to ZHO to deploy all the necessary resources contributing to the development of services provided to the People of Determination for caring, rehabilitating and enabling them to integrate into society and be self-dependent, notably athletes.

Health Bubble

Al Kamali stressed that the championship is held this year after its adjournment in the last year due to the exceptional circumstances facing all the world as a result of outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. Agreement was made with the concerned entities including the International Federation for Para Shooting, the International Paralympic Committee and the local authorities of the UAE to organize the championship this year with the application of a strict discipline and a series of preventive and precautionary measures to preserve the safety and health of everyone, notably delegations of participating states, whether players or officials, where all participants will go into health bubble for the duration of the championship.

He added that stress was laid on all participants, including the official delegations and administrative and technical cadres and all members of event committees to go into health bubble, and that no individual will be allowed to leave the championship for the duration of the competitions or to communicate with the external individuals. Social distancing will also be applied in group transportation buses, with the determination of their routes from the residency hotel to Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club, where the championship competitions will take place.

Success is the fruit of Leadership Concern

He said that successes made by the People of Determination “Knights of Will” in all continental and international competitions are the fruit of concern of wise leadership and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the main supporter of People of Determination, notably athletes, and of the UAE Paralympic Federation for creating conditions conducive to success of the Knights of Will who never frustrated the expectations. This demonstrates that our team has a lot and is able to reach the podiums.

Chairman of the event higher organizing Committee extended his thanks and gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of ADSC for the patronage of this championship, and to the officials of ADSC, ZHO’s strategic partner, and its Secretary General for their continuous coordination with ZHO to organize and host many important sports events, which indicates that the ADSC’s follow-up provides the appropriate environment which supports the progress of sport for this segment and expands the sports base for People of Determination.

“ZHO” Board of Directors

He also highlighted the interest of ZHO Board of Directors of ZHO, presided by his Chairman His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan in providing care and rehabilitation to the People of Determination subject to ZHO’s care according to the best international standards, notably the athletes who demonstrate day after day their ability to raise the flag of the UAE in all events and compete in all international sports competitions. 

His Excellency Abdullah Al Kamali stressed that arrangements for this event run on schedule and the plan, in coordination with the relevant entities including The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, in order for ZHO to reach the desired success, as part of its outstanding excellence achieved in organizing many local, regional and international events, notably the sports events in the previous years. “Circumstances under which this Championship will be held demonstrate the difficult organization and hosting, representing impetus for all committees to accept challenge and get the event out to safety”, he added.   

Thanks to Sponsors.

His Excellency the Executive Director of People of Determination Sector at ZHO extended his thanks and gratitude to all entities, organizations and companies which sponsor and support the tournament, and significantly contribute to the success of all events organized by ZHO, notably sports events. He added that such initiative is part of the sense of nationhood of such entities to support sports in general and para sports in the State in particular.

Sponsors mainly include ADSC, ZHO strategic partner and the government supporter, the General Sports Authority, UAE Paralympic Committee, Abu Dhabi GHQ, Tamouh Health Care, Etisalat, Abu Dhabi Civil Defense and Abu Dhabi Media Company, Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, the media sponsor .

For his part, Ismail Al Marazeeq, Director of the Sports Clubs Department at the Zayed Higher Organization said that the arrangements for this exceptional event are well under way and are undertaken ZHO in coordination with all concerned entities, in order to reach the desired success as part of the outstanding excellence achieved in the organization and hosting of the four previous tournaments.

Exceptional Sport Event 

He added that the Championship features the competition between the best shooters in the World, distinguishing the UAE in hosting competitions. Hosting the Championship for the fifth time due to the successful organization and hosting of the previous four tournaments in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 is a testimony of success of ZHO. “The outstanding results of ZHO shooting team representing the UAE in all international shooting competitions supports the organization and hosting of the Championship”, he continued.

The Championship Manager emphasized their determination to make this event successful and outstanding and their concern for the safety of all participants in this big international event at the level of Para sports from over the world, which will be a new addition to the outstanding excellence achieved in the previous sports competitions organized by ZHO, expressing the ZHO’s gratitude to the great support of ADSC.

Championship Schedule

The participating teams and delegations will start arriving on March 14th. All players will have the opportunity to access to training on the tournament ranges intermittently on March 16th and 17th. Classification will be made by the International Federation for Paralympic Shooting, while the technical meeting will be held under the supervision of the general arbiter to outline instructions and conditions of the tournament and distribute the chest numbers on March 17th at the residency hotel. The competitions and finals will extend from March 18th to 24th, which will mark the conclusion of the Championship.  

Technical Committee

To ensure progress in work at the highest levels and organize this event in a manner that befits the UAE in general and ZHO in particular, just like the successful tournaments held in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 and the international tribute of the International Federation for Paralympic Shooting, the Technical Committee comes into play to undertake the technical supervision of this event and approve the enrollment of players of participating states, check all equipment and tools which will be used, monitor referees during competitions, and follow up the announcement of results and ensure the observance of the international law on Paralympic Shooting.