Saudi Arabia Joins Unified Floorball Team in 2025 Winter World Games

Saudi flag (AAWSAT AR)
Saudi flag (AAWSAT AR)
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Saudi Arabia Joins Unified Floorball Team in 2025 Winter World Games

Saudi flag (AAWSAT AR)
Saudi flag (AAWSAT AR)

The draw for the participation of countries from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games, to be held in Torino, Italy on March 8, 2025, took place in Dubai on Wednesday.
The regional president of Special Olympics International, Engineer Ayman Abdel Wahab, and members of the regional presidency were present during the draw, SPA said on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia was selected to participate in the "Unified Floorball" team, in which players with intellectual disabilities and their peers without disabilities participate in the same team.
The draw was completed for the rest of the sports that the Olympics will showcase, including cross-country skiing, speed skating, snow running, dance sports, figure skating, and the team sport of floorball.
During the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games, Saudi Arabia sent a delegation of 11 participants, including eight players who competed in snow running and speed skating.
They were among 289 participants from 16 countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Palestine, Qatar, Iran, and Oman. The Kingdom participated in four sports: floor hockey, speed skating, cross-country skiing, and snow running, among the seven sports held by the Olympics. The region also participated in the Youth Conference through a player and an escort.



Adidas Replaces Puma as Mercedes F1 Partner Post-Hamilton

Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 8, 2024 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in his car after finishing fourth in his last race for Mercedes. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 8, 2024 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in his car after finishing fourth in his last race for Mercedes. (Reuters)
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Adidas Replaces Puma as Mercedes F1 Partner Post-Hamilton

Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 8, 2024 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in his car after finishing fourth in his last race for Mercedes. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 8, 2024 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in his car after finishing fourth in his last race for Mercedes. (Reuters)

German apparel and footwear brand Adidas will enter Formula One as kit suppliers to the Mercedes Formula One team in a multi-year partnership announced on Tuesday for the new post-Lewis Hamilton era.

Puma previously partnered the once-dominant team, who finished fourth overall in seven-times world champion Hamilton's last season before he moved to Ferrari.

The Adidas deal was expected and had been flagged up in media reports already last year after leaked images of branded apparel.

Mercedes said the specially-designed kit would also be made available to fans, with limited editions planned through the year.

The range will include apparel, footwear and accessories and will be unveiled next month before the season starts in Australia on March 16.

"Our partnership with Adidas is a clear statement of intent as we begin to write our next chapter as a team," said Mercedes principal Toto Wolff in a statement.

Hamilton, who turned 40 on Tuesday, has been replaced at the team by 18-year-old Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli who will partner George Russell.

Mercedes also had fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger, for whom Hamilton was an ambassador, as a partner last season.

Adidas lost out to Nike last year in bidding to supply the Germany national teams from 2027 to 2034.