As part of the Autonomous Administration’s plan to expand access to sports facilities, the Raqqa Canton Sports Council has opened a sports center for people with disabilities at the Raqqa Municipal Stadium.

The opening ceremony was attended by athletes, advocates for inclusive public spaces, dozens of individuals with disabilities, the co-chairs of the Raqqa Canton Executive Council, and representatives of the Youth and Sports Committee of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

Hêvîn Ismail, co-chair of the Raqqa Canton Executive Council, emphasized during her remarks that "the Autonomous Administration places great importance on citizens with disabilities and sees them as a vital part of society that must not be neglected."

Ismail noted that the Autonomous Administration is continuing preparations to open additional sports facilities designed to support the physical and mental well-being of people with disabilities.

As the city’s first sports facility of its kind, the center was opened in cooperation with a local organization operating in Raqqa, with the aim of meeting the needs of athletes with disabilities.

The facility includes areas for volleyball, basketball, ping pong, chess, weightlifting, and football adapted for athletes with visual impairments, with participation ranging between 30 and 40 individuals.

Officials from the Sports Council overseeing the project stated that the facility was opened to promote the inclusion, support, and empowerment of people with disabilities through sports. Observers emphasized that sports are a right for everyone and that access must be provided to all segments of society.