In Morocco, Special Olympics made inroads thanks to the country's king and princess, Inas Mazhar reports from Fes Morocco was the focus of attention as the country hosted elections for the regional advisory council of the Special Olympics. The regional Middle East and North Africa advisory council will serve from 2008-2009. The elections, the congress as well as the National Special Games of Morocco were all held under the auspices of King Mohamed VI. Twenty-three countries representing the Middle East and North African region, in addition to Iran, took part in the elections and selected Princess Lala Amina of Morocco, the president and founder of the Special Olympics movement in Morocco, regional representative in the Special Olympics International Advisory Council based in Washington. The council also selected Sheikh Daiej Al- Khalifa of Bahrain chairman of the regional advisory council. Elections were held over nine other seats. The elections and the congress were both held in the city of Fes, which celebrates 1,200 years since its creation. The city boasts the oldest university in the world, the University of Al-Qaraween. At the congress meetings chaired by Ayman Abdel-Wahab, SO regional managing director, both the UAE and Bahrain presented reports on their experiences in partnership and resources development. Abdel- Wahab praised the nations for their efforts in developing the movement and finding resources to help make more progress within the SO regional programmes. Bassel Haggar from Syria demonstrated the new FIFA global initiative to the congress. Haggar, a football referee who officiated the final of the pan-Arab Games in November between Egypt and Saudi Arabia in Cairo, said the FIFA initiative, called Special Olympics Global Football (SOGF), will provide greater footballing opportunities for players with intellectual disabilities. FIFA hopes to garner support for players with intellectual disabilities from people across the globe and from every walk of life. At the Special Olympics World Summer Games last year, Shanghai hosted Timothy Shriver, chairman of Special Olympics International, and Joseph Blatter, head of FIFA, football's world governing body. "I would like to express my admiration for Chairman Shriver's dedicated efforts in promoting sport for intellectually disabled people," Blatter said. "FIFA would like to use the Football for Hope Movement to get involved with and support football's development within the Special Olympics." The FIFA slogan, "For the Game. For the World", is meant to reflect the football world's sense of social responsibility. Special Olympics is the ultimate goal for some 2.5 million intellectually disabled athletes from 165 countries, and this year's games are set to welcome around 7,500 competitors. Through sport, and the beautiful game in particular, the Special Olympics can help bring these gifted athletes and football's world governing body together behind a common goal. "We all know playing football is practically a part of human nature," Blatter said. "Football brings people both entertainment and passion. شAll for football, football for all', is not just a slogan. The launch of this campaign to assist players with intellectual disabilities will help people improve their health, confidence and happiness." After expressing his thanks to FIFA and Blatter for their support, Shriver added that the initiative could also help to eliminate the barriers between disabled and able-bodied people. "In supporting this campaign to help handicapped people play football we are not giving them sympathy. We are giving them enthusiastic encouragement," Shriver said. SO has suggested that from now on, before the start of any major football game, as the footballers walk onto the pitch, they do so hand in hand with children with special needs. "Football is a team game. Through this sport, intellectually disabled people can strengthen their own body and soul, as well as gain encouragement and approval from society." There are currently around 300,000 disabled athletes across the world involved in football and Shriver hopes that by the time of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the number will have reached 400,000, with female athletes making up 30 per cent of this total. Through the Football for Hope Movement, FIFA is strongly supporting the objectives set out by Special Olympics. The project is being actively developed in 10 African countries and will help over 3,000 young players with intellectual disabilities. On top of regular football training and competition, these up and coming athletes will also be provided with free health screenings. After the elections and congress meetings, the king invited his guests to a royal dinner banquet attended by Princess Lala who honoured all Morocco SO winners of gold, silver and bronze medals at the Special Olympics World Summer Games held in Shanghai last summer. The SO Games in Morocco were held in Ifran, in the north of the country. Ifran is known as the Switzerland of Morocco with its high mountains covered with snow most of the year. Its moderate weather serves as both a summer and winter resort. More than 800 male and female athletes from across the country took part in the three-day competition, competing in 15 sports. The opening ceremony was attended by Princess Lala who invited representatives of the 23 nations as well as media representatives to the opening ceremony. Earlier, she took her guests on a tour of the accommodations of the participants and joined the athletes for lunch.
