When Ali Abul Nasr returned to Egypt in 2013 after completing his studies in sports management at the University of Abertay in Dundee, Scotland, he decided to put together the country’s first national blind soccer team. One of the courses he had taken was on sports for persons with disabilities, and Abul Nasr wanted to put what he had learned into practice.
Having a younger sister who was visually impaired as an infant opened Abul Nasr’s eyes early on to the hardships suffered by people with vision loss, including facing stigma and discrimination. This prompted him to advocate for equal opportunity programs and policies that would empower people with disabilities, allowing them to lead happier, more fulfilling lives. According to him, his idea of assembling a blind soccer squad stemmed from his conviction that “promoting the inclusion of the blind and visually impaired in sport would pave the way for their inclusion in the society.”
