UAE gets off to blistering start on Day 1 of 6th Fazza International Wheelchair Basketball - IWBF West Asian Championship 2014

Trounce Oman in exciting contest at Al Ahli Club in Dubai

Dubai, 11 May 2014: The UAE showed off its tactical strength and strong defense as it locked horns with Oman in a fiery contest at the 6th Fazza International Wheelchair Basketball - IWBF West Asian Championship 2014 being held at the Al Ahli Club in Dubai.

UAE Captain Mohammed Al Zarouny guided his team to victory against Oman with a score of 69 points. He commented: “We played a good game today despite some minor challenges. The first two games are crucial and set the stage for how we will perform in the coming days. Our objective is to qualify for the Asian Paralympic Games in Incheon and we are putting all our efforts into winning a minimum of two games over the course of the next few days.”

This year, the competition is being held as the IWBF West Asia Championship and has been organised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center and the Dubai Club for the Disabled under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.

Maureen Orchard, president and secretary general – IWBF, who was present at the venue said: “The IWBF is pleased that the UAE was chosen as the first country to host the tournament. This region has some very successful wheelchair basketball teams and we felt the Championship deserved to become an officially sanctioned IWBF event in West Asia this year.”

Thani Juma Berregad, Chairman of the Dubai Club for the Disabled and head of the organising committee for the Fazza Championships for the Disabled added: “We are proud that the UAE is hosting an international level Championship. It motivates players who have dreamt of representing their country overseas and inspires them to reach new heights. We are confident that each and every athlete is a true ambassador of the sport and will deliver his best over the course of the next few days.”

The UAE will lock horns with Jordan in its next game while Oman will play strong contender Iraq. Syria will challenge Palestine and Kuwait will clash with KSA on Day 2 of the Championship.

A total of 170 athletes and officials from eight countries are participating in the Championship including host nation the UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Ibrahim Abdullah Rahim, director of events at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center said: “We are proud that this event is synonymous with the vision of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai to make Dubai a disabled friendly city by 2020 through the ‘My Community…A city for everyone initiative’. We wish all players the very best and hope the strongest teams earn a spot at the Asian Paralympic Games in South Korea later this year.”

Results:

KSA beats Syria (79-31)
UAE beats Oman (69-56)
Iraq beats Jordan (83-34)

Participating Countries:

UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia