mahare still remembers the day that changed his life I was injured by an air strike by Syrian war planes on my city and as a result I lost my left [Music] hand at age 15 he became disabled but soon after he found a new passion football after my injury I decided to join the team for people with special needs the team has players with stor is similar to mine 6 years later mahare is the goalkeeper of the Paris Sports football team in ITP many of his teammates also lost their limbs in regime bombings but their trainer Omar is encouraging them to move on we are people with a determination that no injury can destroy thanks to God we play football despite the injuries and pain and we show the world that syrians can achieve Excellence despite difficult circumstances [Applause] [Music] while the Paralympics in Paris are in full sway these athletes are lightning an Olympic torch of their own for the first time in this Rebel Enclave a local NGO has organized a tournament for more than 300 people with special needs they are competing in football weightlifting volleyball and swimming from all over Syria including jarab a azaz athletes will participate for 10 days across 14 different disciplines both individual and team events with a lot of Pride at stake conservative clerics and local political figures have criticized the event for being too westernized but for athletes like Mah these Paralympics are simply part of his quest for dignity disability isn't a weakness of the body but rather a weakness of thought despite everything that happened to us and everything caused by Bashar alassad we are able to do the impossible and be hopeful