Severely disabled World Cup ambassador speaks at opening ceremony in Qatar: who is 20-year-old Ghanim Al Muftah?

“This is my incredible story.” In 2015, Ghanim Al Muftah, then 13, tells the YouTube channel of the Paralympic Games how he was born with a rare medical condition: caudal regression syndrome. A disease that severely hinders the development of the lower half of the body, but does not seem to put a brake on Al Muftah’s zest for life. “Instead of letting this condition rule my life, I have learned to overcome obstacles,” it sounds.

Al Muftah is now 20 years old and has his own YouTube channel with 816,000 subscribers. He is also very popular on Instagram with more than 3 million followers. The fact that he was now allowed to give a speech viewed by millions together with Morgan Freeman is a smart move by Qatar. Just before the start of the opening ceremony, the World Cup organizing committee stated that it “wants to start the dialogue on inclusion and diversity”. Enter Ganim Al-Muftah.

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No abortion

But who is the young Qatari who always seems to be smiling? His life story starts anything but rosy. He almost didn’t even get there. When Al Muftah’s parents were told in 2001 that they were expecting twins, joy quickly turned to fear. One of the boys turned out to be severely handicapped and his quality of life was estimated to be very low. The doctors insisted on an abortion, but his mother refused. Her two boys would grow up together.

That Al Muftah inherited his mother’s willpower is an understament. Since his youngest years, he has not let his disability stop him. Playing football, skating or judo lessons: he did it together with his twin brother Ahmad. Today, scuba diving, ice hockey and mountaineering have been added. In 2016 he climbed the Djabal Shams, the highest mountain of the Hajar Mountains in Oman. He regularly emphasizes that it is all thanks to his mother. She taught me to stay positive. She showed me that life is beautiful and that nothing is impossible.”

Ice cream seller

In addition to being an ambitious athlete, Al Muftah also appears to be a successful entrepreneur. He is the founder of Gharissa Ice Cream, a company with six locations and sixty employees that sells ice cream and delivers it at home. His goal is to turn it into a global franchise. In addition, Al Muftah also founded several associations. With the Association of Ghanim he donates wheelchairs to children whose parents cannot afford it themselves.

Al Muftah is a sought-after guest for so-called motivational speeches. Not only schools and organizations invite him, he also shared his story on the famous Ted Talks. There he spoke candidly about how coping with his illness and the medical care he needs is a daily challenge, but that doesn’t stop him from living. “It just takes a lot of patience. Fortunately, I am a patient person.”

Darling of the sheikh

On Instagram, the videos and photos of his antics and celebrity encounters are liked and shared by thousands. One of his biggest fans was the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who died in 2006. One photo shows him kissing the boy. But the images of Al Muftah’s agony are also striking: Al Muftah is often completely exhausted in bed or is in the hospital for another examination.

Al Muftah was able to show that patience pays off on Sunday for what was perhaps his largest audience ever. “With tolerance and respect we can live together,” he said at the opening ceremony of the World Cup. Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, head of state of controversial Qatar, looked on with approval.