Special Olympics UAE and Ons Jabeur Academy Join Forces to Promote Inclusive Sports.
Dubai: Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur has partnered with Special Olympics UAE to create more opportunities for People of Determination to take up tennis and develop their skills through specialised training programmes.
Earlier this week, Jabeur confirmed her return to professional tennis after being away from the sport since retiring from her first-round match at Wimbledon in June 2025 due to injuries and fatigue. She gave birth to her first child in April this year.
Although the Tunisian star has been away from competitive tennis for more than a year, she has continued to promote the sport and encourage the next generation of players.
Special Olympics UAE and the Ons Jabeur Tennis Academy have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote inclusion in tennis, identify emerging talent and expand access to regular coaching opportunities.
The agreement was signed at the academy’s premises at the Higher Colleges of Technology’s Dubai Academic City campus. Jabeur and HE Talal Al Hashemi, National Director of Special Olympics UAE, attended the signing alongside representatives of both organisations.
The partnership will focus on four key areas: encouraging tennis participation among People of Determination; training coaches and staff to work with athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities; introducing the Unified Sports concept; and identifying sporting talent.
The organisations will also collaborate on community initiatives to raise awareness and encourage more People of Determination to take up tennis. Jabeur will use her international profile to help promote the campaign.
Al Hashemi said the partnership would create new opportunities for tennis within the Special Olympics UAE community and help athletes pursue their sporting ambitions.
“ We are delighted to partner with the Ons Jabeur Tennis Academy, opening new avenues to strengthen the presence of tennis within the Special Olympics UAE community and identify and nurture sporting talent,” he said.
He added that working with specialised sports institutions would help create inclusive environments where athletes could develop their abilities and gain opportunities to compete.
Karim Kammoun of the Ons Jabeur Tennis Academy said the collaboration reflected the belief that tennis should be accessible to everyone.
“We are proud of this partnership with Special Olympics UAE, which reflects our belief that tennis should be accessible to everyone and that every athlete deserves the opportunity to discover their potential and develop their skills,” he said.
The agreement also builds on the achievements of UAE athletes at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, where the national tennis team won three medals.
Among those attending the signing was Special Olympics UAE tennis player Clari Lehmkuhl, who won silver and bronze medals in Berlin. She also claimed the women’s singles title at the 2026 BAUHAUS Down Syndrome World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Lehmkuhl welcomed the partnership, saying greater access to training and specialised coaching could help athletes improve their game and pursue their ambitions.
“Tennis gives us the opportunity to showcase our abilities, build self-confidence and enjoy the challenge of competition. I hope this collaboration will enable more athletes to experience the sport and discover what they can achieve,” she said.
The MoU signing was accompanied by a specialised workshop organised by Special Olympics UAE for the academy’s coaches and staff. Conducted in English, the session covered intellectual and developmental disabilities, effective communication with athletes and ways to adapt coaching techniques to individual needs.
It also introduced the Unified Sports concept, which brings together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities on the same teams, using sport as a platform to promote inclusion.
Practical exercises and case studies formed part of the workshop, helping coaches learn how to create safe, supportive and inclusive training environments.
The partnership is part of Special Olympics UAE’s broader efforts to expand sporting opportunities for People of Determination, nurture their talents and encourage greater participation in community activities.
