Dubai: The Dubai Equestrian Club (DEC), in conjunction with the Dubai Racing Club (DRC) and Meydan, has taken it upon itself to continue backing the special needs equestrian programme and prepare the squad of four for the Athens Special Olympic Games.
"It is with great pleasure that we support the efforts of the UAE Special Olympics equestrian team and we are pleased to lend our expertise in guiding these riders as they brace for bigger challenges ahead," noted Mohammad Eisa Al Adhab, deputy general manager of the DEC.
"Our organisations fully endorse and support all such initiatives so that our athletes are able of achieving bigger goals at the international level," he added.
In 2007, the UAE assembled its first equestrian team for the Special Olympics and since then the DEC and the Emirates Equestrian Centre (EEC) have been supportive of the team's efforts.
Middle East games
Medals at the 2007 Shanghai Special Olympics were followed by more glory at the 2008 Middle East Games [in Abu Dhabi] and the 2010 North African Regional Games [in Damascus].
"We are sure we are going to get medals in Athens and there can be no doubt on this," confided Eisa Mukhashab, general coordinator of the Initiatives Committee at the UAE Special Olympics, who will be accompanying the squad to Athens as its manager.
"When we went to Shanghai we were not so experienced, but now we have learnt from practising and participating in big events. So we feel we will be winning a few medals," he added.
