The Special Olympics International Board of Directors has unanimously voted to award the 2019 Games to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Insidethegames.biz, an online publication on Friday said the decision was made at a meeting held in Washington D.C.
It said that Timothy Shriver, the Chairman of Special Olympics, noted that the Games scheduled for Abu Dhabi was a revolutionary movement for the Middle East region.
“Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi is revolutionary for our Movement and for the Middle East region.
“There’s no better or more profound location than Abu Dhabi to invite the world to come together in celebration of sport, in celebration of people of all kinds.
“And to demonstrate to the world that the lines of division can be erased.
“We are thrilled to be the first fully global multi-sport Games of this size to be staged in the Middle East region of the world,” it quoted Shriver assaying.
It said that an official date for the event in Abu Dhabi was yet to be confirmed.
“The World Games happen every two years, with the next one due to take place around Austria at the Winter Games in March 2017.
“The baton for the Summer Games would be handed over to the UAE,’’ the portal added.
The first International Special Olympics Summer Games were held in Chicago, US in 1968 where 1,000 athletes from US and Canada competed in just track and swimming events.
The name given to the Games was changed from International Special Olympics Summer and Winter Games to Special Olympics World Summer and Winter Games fifteen years ago.
The most recent edition of the Special Olympics World Games were held in Los Angeles last year where the American city played host to around 6,500 athletes from 177 countries.
Athletes that compete are adults and children with intellectual disabilities who are matched up in competitions according to their ability and age. (NAN)
