A decade in the making: Oman’s Paralympic vision takes its next step forward

The first ever Paralympic Development Programme (PDP) in the Sultanate of Oman wrapped up recently, moving the country one step closer to realising a dream which started more than a decade ago.

In 2011, planning began at Oman Sail – a non-profit organisation that has made sailing accessible to the Omani public – with discussions into the possibility of starting a para sailing programme in the Sultanate. That programme, known as SailFree, was launched in 2019, becoming the first para sailing initiative in the Middle East region.

In less than three years, during the pandemic no less, the programme has grown quickly with the first team representing Oman at the Hansa 303 World Championships in Palermo, Italy, in October 2021.

The ultimate goal is to win a medal for Oman at the LA 2028 Paralympic Games, and Oman Sail is firmly backing the World Sailing bid for reinstatement.

Led by Khamis Al Anbouri, bowman on The Wave, Muscat, winners of the 2010 Extreme Sailing Series, Oman Sail partnered with the Al Amal Occupational Therapy and Rehab Centre, based in the Armed Forces Hospital in Muscat, to equip the boats for para sailors, train the coaches, and gain a deeper understanding of para sailing and the sailors themselves. Al Amal’s expertise was also called upon to help identify the most promising candidates for sailing.

Najat Al Busaidy, Head of Al Amal Occupational Therapy, said, “Starting something from scratch is very challenging and the services are limited to Muscat. We had to think big and include everyone in the whole country. In 2018, the idea came together, and having worked with people with disabilities for many years as well as being therapists as a profession it was easy for us to support in the selection of candidates.”

“We think of sailing as an occupation that would help improve the physical, cognitive and psychological health of our clients,” adds fellow therapist Zuwaina Malik Al Jabri. “We are very invested in this programme because it is inclusive for people with disabilities and beneficial for them at the same time.”

World Sailing’s Paralympic Development Programme has helped the therapists from Al Amal to align their existing classification criteria with the IPC’s classification for international events. The process is ongoing and will help the Occupational Therapists decide whether their clients have the potential to become para sailors.

The PDP has raised awareness of the requirements of para sailing and created new opportunities to advance the SailFree programme. Classifier training was also prioritised and World Sailing Head of Classification Bernard Destrubé trained four young and enthusiastic medical professionals in Oman, in conjunction with the PDP and with support from Oman Sail and BP. A combination of theoretical and intense practical training will enable these persons to classify in their country.

The next step will be in November, in the build up to the RS Venture Worlds in Oman, where there will be a full International Classification Seminar. The four candidates from Al Amal will undergo a final assessment in order to become International Classifiers.

As has been the case for so many sailing activities, athlete classification has been severely impacted by the pandemic. This has also resulted in little or no activity for international classifiers and currently, there are only 11 International Classifiers worldwide. It would be a huge achievement and a major step forward for para sailing in the Middle East and globally to gain four new young classifiers as a result of the first ever PDP to be held in Oman.