The head of Kuwait's delegation for intellectual disabilities sports from the Kuwait Special Olympics, Khaled Al-Nasser, affirmed the readiness of Kuwaiti athletes to participate in the 12th World Winter Games of the Special Olympics 2025. He expressed confidence in their ability to achieve accomplishments, thanks to their determination and technical preparation.

Al-Nasser told the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Thursday, prior to the delegation's departure to participate in the games, which kick off in the Italian city of Turin the day after tomorrow, Saturday, and continue until March 15, that the athletes' preparation was overseen by a highly skilled technical team. This preparation included training camps held in the UAE and Egypt, particularly due to the availability of equipped winter sports facilities in both countries.

He added that the Kuwaiti delegation is competing in the World Winter Games with three athletes: Mariam Dhiab in ice skating, and Hajar Al-Rashidi and Abdullah Al-Ali in snow running. He explained that this edition of the games will enhance the achievements of athletes with intellectual disabilities affiliated with the Kuwait Special Olympics, who are working hard to achieve national sporting success.

On her part, the Executive Director of the Kuwaiti sports club (Al-Tamouh), the official representative of the Kuwait Special Olympics, Huda Al-Khaldi, told KUNA that she is confident in "the ability of the Kuwaiti delegation, participating for the first time in this global event, to achieve unprecedented results." Al-Khaldi expressed her gratitude to the official authorities in the country, the board of directors of (Al-Tamouh) club, and the regional Special Olympics for their efforts in ensuring the success of Kuwait's participation. She emphasized that the Kuwait Special Olympics has provided all available resources, including external camps and intensive training, to help the participating athletes achieve the desired success.

For his part, Dr. Ismail Habash, an emergency medicine specialist at the Ministry of Health accompanying the delegation, told KUNA that his participation as a representative of the Ministry stems from the government's interest in people with disabilities and the necessity of providing them with the necessary medical support during international sports competitions. Dr. Habash added that his participation also arises from his medical expertise and passion for supporting people with disabilities and reinforcing their active and impactful role in society. He noted that their participation in the tournament itself is considered a success for Kuwaiti sports.

It is worth mentioning that the 12th World Winter Games of the Special Olympics is the largest sporting event for people with intellectual disabilities. During the games, 1,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities and their non-disabled partners, along with 1,000 coaches representing 100 different countries, will compete in 8 diverse winter sports, including alpine skiing, snowboarding, futsal, snow running, and others.