The opening ceremony and the course of the tournament were attended by Counselor Hamid Ali Al Abbar, Member of the Federal National Council, Chairman of the Marketing and Investment Committee at Al Thiqah Club for Handicapped; Abdul Ghafour Al Raisi, Board Member of Al Thiqah Club for Handicapped; Ahmed Salem Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of Al Thiqah Club for Handicapped, and a number of media representatives and chess fans.
Al Thiqah Club for Handicapped won the championship cup, whereas Mohammed Abdullah Hassan took the first place, Hamad Bilal Hussein from the Dubai Club for People of Determination took the second place, while the third place of the Ajman Club for the Disabled went to Fathi Mohammed Al Hadrami.
Ahmed Salem Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of Al Thiqah Club for Handicapped, confirmed that the success of the tournament was the result of cooperation between Al Thiqah Club for Handicapped and the Sharjah Cultural Chess Club, and that the tournament is one of the strongest chess tournaments for the disabled at the UAE level.
Nouman Al Ali, Assistant Secretary-General of the Sharjah Cultural Chess Club and Chairman of the Game Publication Committee, confirmed that Al Thiqah Club for Handicapped’s organisation of such a tournament represents a new addition to the efforts of this ancient and distinguished club with the ambitions of its management, members, staff and employees.
Nouman Al Ali added that the success of the tournament is the biggest evidence that the disabled are capable to innovate and excel in all fields, especially chess.