World Archery official to oversee Second Fazza International Para Archery Championship Dubai 2016

Official practice and Team Managers Meeting to be held on Friday January 15th

DUBAI, 14th January: Chairperson of the World Archery Para Committee Carole Hicks will oversee the technical aspects of the Second Fazza International Para Archery Championship Dubai 2016 that is being held at the Dubai Club for the Disabled.

Ahead of the competition proper that begins on Saturday January 16^th, Carole will chair a meeting of Managers of the 15 participating countries on Friday January 15^th.

“I am the Technical Delegate (TD) for the Fazza International Para Archery Championship and my main objective is to ensure World Archery rules are obeyed,” said Carole, a former archer herself.

Apart from the meeting of managers, there will be an equipment check by the technical officials of the local organizing committee.

“By doing some tests and looking at the medical records of players we check whether they are eligible to compete in the Para Archery competition. If they are eligible, in which of these divisions they will be classified in (W1 or Open),” explained Carole who has been an international judge for two decades and member of the World Archery Para Committee for the past six years.

She heads a committee, which comprises four elected officials at the Congress, one person elected by the Para Archers at the World Para Archery Competition and one Head of Classification appointed by World Archery for two years.

Carole expects a high standard of competition at the Fazza International Para Archery Championship which has been recognized by World Archery for the first time.

“There are several reigning and former world champions such Joanna Frith, John Stubbs, John Cavanagh and Melanie Clarke from Great Britain, Kevin Evans of Canada, David Drahoninsky of Czech Republic, Zahra Nemati from Iran and Phillip Bottomley of The Netherlands,” she said.

The second edition of the Fazza International Para Archery Championship will continue until January 13th to 19th.

Team GB have brought the largest contingent of 14 athletes for the second edition of the Fazza International Para Archery Championship.

“This is the start of an exciting new season. The participants for Fazza International Para Archery Championship have almost doubled from the inaugural edition. We have ranked players from one to four in each category. Several world champions are also,” said Thani Juma Berregad, Chairman of the Dubai Club for the Disabled and Head of the Organising Committee for the Fazza Championships for the Disabled.

“The recognition by World Archery of the Fazza International Para Archery Championship is a great boost for Fazza as a Championship in general. We have eight championships, both local and international with two new competitions – Bowling for the Deaf and Special Olympics,” he added.

The Fazza International Para Archery Championship is organized and supervised by the Dubai Club for the Disabled with the support of the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC) and in cooperation with the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), the General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare and the UAE Paralympic Committee.

The number of participating countries for the Second Fazza International Para Archery Championship has increased from eight to 15 countries, namely: Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, India, Iran, Iraq, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Great Britain, South Korea, Thailand and tournament hosts the UAE. There will be 50 athletes vying for honours in this competition, including 20 female archers.