Professor Dr. Okla (Akla) Suleiman Al-Houri, a senior faculty member at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences – University of Al-Hamdaniya, participated in the International Goalball Conference held at Rashtriya Raksha University in the state of Gujarat, India, from October 30 to November 2, 2025. He took part in the conference in his capacity as Chairman of the Technical Committee of the International Goalball Federation.
The conference brought together a distinguished group of global leaders, athletes, policymakers, and researchers to discuss the development of goalball, sports governance, mental health, cultural exchange, talent identification, as well as the adoption of digital technologies in officiating and coaching.
During the opening session, Professor Dr. Akla Suleiman Al-Houri presented a global roadmap aimed at enhancing the status of goalball among modern sports. He reviewed the history of the sport, its global spread, and the most prominent research studies and publications addressing it, while highlighting successful experiences from Iraq, India, Morocco, and Jordan.
He concluded his participation by presenting a future vision for the sport, which included efforts to include goalball in the 2036 Olympic Games in India, in light of the rapid expansion of the sport and the growing international interest it has received.