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GOLD medal winning Olympian Ahmed Akbar Shafiee hopes to inspire fellow disabled athletes in Bahrain to aim high and play to win.
The 36-year-old bocce and basketball star has his sights sets on further glory in the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2011 to be staged at the home of the sporting spectacular - the Greek capital of Athens, from June 25 to July 4.
Shafiee, who lives in Riffa, was born with Down's syndrome. He is supporting a fund-raising initiative to help raise funds to cover the cost of competing for local athletes.
He said: "I love sport and cannot wait to compete again. It is so exciting and I've been able to make so many friends. I hope we can raise enough funds for the team to compete again."
Day or night sport is on Shafiee's mind. He even admitted to having 'hoop dreams' during his sleep and confidently displays his prowess on the court by shooting three-pointers with perfect precision with his eyes closed!
It's a skill which has helped him win medals and accolades in individual basketball shot tournaments and helped him develop his gold medal-winning technique in the art of playing bocce, a thrilling ball game which is a particular favourite in the Special Olympics.
Bocce belongs to the boules sport family. It is traditionally played on natural soil and asphalt courts 27 metres in length and 2.5 to 4 metres wide. Bocce balls can be made of metal or various kinds of plastic.
With the support of Procter & Gamble Gulf (P&G Gulf) his dream of representing Bahrain once more may become a reality. The retail giant is running a campaign in support of Special Olympics MENA (Middle East and North Africa) for the sixth consecutive year.
The campaign entitled 'Step up for their dreams' was launched this month across the Gulf region at participating stores.
During the campaign, 100 fils from every purchase of its participating brands such as Ariel, Tide, Fairy, Downy, Pampers, Always, Pantene, H&S, Pert, Herbal Essences, Crest, Oral B, Olay, Camay, Wella and Gillette will be donated to the cause.
The total raised will then be announced in February. The Special Olympics regional office will divide the funds amongst its member countries.
Ayman Wahab, Special Olympics MENA regional president, said: "We aim to transform communities by changing people's perception of intellectual disabilities while promoting empowerment, competence and acceptance.
"Throughout the years we have been deeply touched by P&G's unwavering support. It has brought great opportunities and joy to our much-deserving athletes."
The Special Olympics is an international organisation dedicated to giving power to individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition.
It offers children and adults with year-round training and competition in Olympic-type summer and winter sports. The organisation currently serves more than 2.5 million individuals in more than 200 programmes in over 165 countries globally and 20 programmes in 20 countries in the MENA region.
The Special Olympics Committee in Bahrain was established in 1990 and offers 11 sports for its athletes including basketball, football, bocce and badminton.
Wafika Khalil Jamal, a teacher at the Hope Institute for Special Education in Isa Town and sports director for the Special Olympics Bahrain committee, has helped athletes such as Shafiee develop their skills and test their potential in sport.
She said: "I quickly recognised his love for basketball and skill at bocce in the playground. I figured instead of him just sitting at home why not sign him up ... and he has been a star ever since.
"He has competed in local competitions in Bahrain against other adults his age and of his skill level. He has won many gold medals in Bahrain but he truly took the cake in Syria!"
Shafiee won gold in both the singles and doubles bocce tournaments during the 2010 Special Olympics Regional Games in Damascus.
"The gold medal-winning success helped to increase his confidence and he has made many friends through sport," explained Mrs Jamal.
"However, we may not be able to send him to Greece unless more donations come in. That is why we need all the help we can get so that we can send athletes such as Shafiee - who is loved by his peers - to compete in such a major event."
