- More than 20 athletes trained for over 170 hours at Ski Dubai, Snow Abu Dhabi, Ski Egypt, and Snow Oman
- A groundbreaking Snow Sport Team Development Strategy paved the way for Special Olympics teams from the UAE, Oman, and Egypt
- Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing introduced for the first time at MAF Entertainment’s snow destinations to support athlete preparation
Dubai, UAE; 7 March 2025:Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment is breaking barriers and making history at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games, empowering athletes across the MENA region to compete at the highest level. Through its Ski and
MAF Entertainment empowers three MENA teams to compete at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games
Snow portfolio, Majid Al Futtaim has trained and developed 10 Special Olympics teams representing the UAE, Oman, and Egypt, fostering inclusion and excellence in winter sports.
Ignace Lahoud, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment said: “The Special Olympics is a powerful movement that unites people through the love of sport. Our athletes from the UAE, Oman, and Egypt are a true inspiration, showcasing perseverance, passion, and the drive to defy limits. We are incredibly proud of them and cheering them all the way as they shine on a global stage.”
Before taking flight to Turin, more than 20 athletes dedicated over 170 training hours at Ski Dubai, Snow Abu Dhabi, Ski Egypt, and Snow Oman. They now join 1,500 athletes from 100 nations competing in eight winter sports categories from March 8-15, 2025. This marks the first Special Olympics Winter Games in nearly a decade, and the UAE delegation stands out as the largest from the Middle East, competing in six disciplines:Snowshoeing, Cross-country skiing, Figure skating, Alpine skiing, Short-track speed skating and Snowboarding.
A legacy of inclusion and innovation
The journey to Turin started in October 2023, when Ski Dubai introduced a comprehensive Snow Sport Team Development Strategy to Special Olympics UAE. Designed to prepare athletes for global competition and ensure long-term sustainability, the strategy was so successful that it was expanded across Ski Dubai, Snow Abu Dhabi, Ski Egypt, and Snow Oman, resulting in the formation of nine snow sport teams and one ice sport team.
Building on Abu Dhabi’s historic hosting of the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games, Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment continues to redefine inclusion in sports. By opening doors to winter sports for athletes with intellectual disabilities, it proves that with opportunity, belief, and the right support, anything is possible.
Majid Al Futtaim has been a pioneer in indoor snow entertainment since launching Ski Dubai at Mall of the Emirates in 2005. The success continued with the opening of Ski Egypt (2017, Africa’s first indoor snow destination and Snow Oman (2022), the region’s latest state-of-the-art snow park. Snow Abu Dhabi joined the Ski and Snow portfolio family in 2023, reinforcing Majid Al Futtaim’s reputation as the world’s leading brand in indoor snow entertainment.
As these athletes step onto the world stage, they carry with them the dreams of a region, the support of a community, and the belief that barriers are meant to be broken.
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About Majid Al Futtaim
Founded in 1992, Majid Al Futtaim is an Emirati-owned, diversified lifestyle conglomerate operating across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The Group started from one man’s vision to transform the face of shopping, entertainment, and leisure to ‘create great moments for everyone, every day’. It has since grown into one of the region’s most respected businesses, employing 43,000 people, with owned assets valued at US$18 billion and has the highest credit rating (BBB) among privately held corporates in the region. Majid Al Futtaim owns and operates 29 shopping malls, 7 hotels and four mixed-use communities, welcoming more than 600 million customers through its doors every year.
Majid Al Futtaim operates more than 600 VOX Cinemas screens as well as a portfolio of world-class leisure and entertainment experiences across the region including four indoor ski locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Cairo and Oman as well as family entertainment centers Magic Planet and Little Explorers. It is the proud owner of the flagship Mall of the Emirates, Mall of Egypt, and Mall of Oman with the iconic City Centre shopping malls rounding out its portfolio across the region. The Group partners with world-class fashion, home, speciality retail and beauty brands, including lululemon, LEGO, Crate and Barrel, Shiseido, with over 70 stores and 20 digital platforms across the GCC. It also owns and operates THAT Concept Store, a multi-brand retail destination and app. Majid Al Futtaim is also the exclusive franchisee for Carrefour across markets in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, serving 770,000 customers daily. These offerings are powered by the UAE’s fastest growing loyalty programme SHARE, which offers customers a more personalised and data driven experience. The developer of choice for the region, Majid Al Futtaim is the creator of mixed-use communities including Tilal Al Ghaf in Dubai and Al Mouj in Muscat.
Majid Al Futtaim has continued to set the standard for sustainable growth through its Dare Today, Change Tomorrow sustainability strategy. The Group is committed to becoming Net Positive in water and carbon by 2040.
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