Fazza-Dubai Para Badminton named after Sheikh Hamdan

Dubai - The decision on the name of the Championships was taken in coordination with the Dubai Sports Council and the Badminton World Federation

Some of the world’s leading Para Badminton stars will return to action when the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum 3rd Dubai Para Badminton International 2021 Championships gets underway at the Shabab Al Ahli Club from Tuesday.

This year the Championships, known as the Fazza-Dubai Para Badminton International in the past years, has been renamed to pay tribute to late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The decision on the name of the Championships was taken in coordination with the Dubai Sports Council and the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

This will be the first BWF Para Badminton tournament after more than a year because of the Covid-19 Pandemic; the last international meet was held in Peru in February 2020.

As many as 127 players from 29 countries including hosts the UAE have confirmed their participation at the March 30-April 4 championship, which will have several world champions including Indonesia’s top player Leani Ratri Oktila, India’s multiple-time world champion and Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games winner Pramod Bhagat and Manasi Joshi, France’s Lucas Mazur among others.

Among other highlights of the Dubai 2021— Para Badminton event will be teams from Israel, Maldives and Nepal who are set to compete this year. While Team India will field the biggest number of team of 26 players, Nepal will have just one player. Hosts UAE will be represented by six players including two female.

Thani Juma Barregad, Chairman of the Fazza Championships and Dubai Club for People of Determination Chairman, expressed gratitude and appreciation to the greatest supporter of People of Determination.

“We pray from the bottom of our heart for late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. May God bless him with great mercy and forgiveness and may his soul rest in peace. The People of Determination will not forget their spiritual father, who provided his financial and moral support throughout these years.”

Majid Al Usaimi, Director of the International Fazza Championships for People of Determination, added that the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum cultivated will, confidence and determination within the People of Determination and showed his love and generosity. “He will always remain in our hearts.”