Salama Al Khateri, the UAE's top para-cyclist, is now officially a candidate for the Asian Paralympic Athletes Committee. She joins nine other athletes from across Asia, all competing for five seats on the committee that will represent athletes during the 2026-2030 term. The election will be held during the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games.
The committee gives athletes a direct voice in the Asian Paralympic Committee's board, shaping decisions that affect para-sport across the region. Only accredited athletes taking part in the Asian Para Games can vote, with the voting period running from 18 to 23 October. Results will be announced on 24 October 2026. Voting will be done online, with athletes using QR codes at designated venues, according to WAM and regional reports.
The elected Athletes' Committee members will select their chair from among themselves, who will then replace the current chair, Hiroyuki Misaka of Japan.
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To be eligible, candidates must be active athletes who have previously competed in the Asian Para Games or plan to participate in the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya 2026 edition. This rule, set by the Asian Paralympic Committee and reported by ANA, is meant to ensure that committee members have recent, first-hand experience of the competition and its demands.
Majid Al Usaimi, President of the Asian Paralympic Committee, said that athlete input is central to the committee's work. The elected members will be responsible for bringing the perspectives and experiences of athletes to the board, making sure decisions reflect the realities faced by para-athletes across Asia. The committee's term will run through 2030, representing athlete views within the organization, as noted by WAM.
For the UAE, Al Khateri's nomination marks another step in the country's growing involvement in international para-sport governance. It follows a broader pattern of Emirati athletes and teams gaining ground on the world stage, such as the Liwa Team's recent lead in the SSV category of the World Baja Cup, reported earlier.
The election will be conducted online, with athletes casting their votes via QR-code access at designated venues during the Games. This digital approach is designed to enhance accessibility and transparency for all accredited participants.
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With voting set to begin, attention turns to how the new committee will represent athlete concerns and turn feedback into policy. The digital voting system is intended to make participation easier and more transparent, but the main challenge will be how well the elected members turn athlete input into real changes. Al Khateri's candidacy reflects the UAE's ongoing commitment to athlete advocacy in Asian para-sport, and her election would further strengthen the country's role in the region.
