UAE Athletes With Organ Transplants Head to World Stage in August

A team of six transplant recipients and living donors will represent the United Arab Emirates for the first time at the World Transplant Games, which begins this August in Dresden, Germany. Competing under the Hayat programme, the group includes athletes who have received kidneys, lungs and livers, as well as those who have donated organs to family members. Their appearance marks a first for the UAE, which only joined the World Transplant Games Federation in 2023.

Events range from sprinting and road racing to bowling and javelin, with participants hoping to share what life after transplant can look like. The team’s full schedule runs from August 18th to the 23rd, covering both track and field and mixed sports events.

The World Transplant Games, held every two years, bring together athletes from over 60 countries and were created to promote health and movement after organ transplant. The Games are supported by the International Olympic Committee and also include living donors and donor families. The UAE’s involvement adds to a growing list of nations using the event as a platform to encourage awareness around donation and transplantation.