Deaflympics

Last updated

Deaflympics Games
Comité International des Sports des Sourds
Deaflympics logo.svg
Deaflympics Logo
MottoPER LUDOS AEQUALITAS (Equality through sport)
First event1924;101 years ago (1924) in Paris, France – 1924 Summer Deaflympics [1]
Occur every4 years
Last event2024 in Erzurum, Turkey2024 Winter Deaflympics (Winter)
Next event 2025 Summer Deaflympics, Tokyo, Japan
PurposeProvision of opportunities for deaf persons to participate in elite sports
Website www.deaflympics.com
www.ciss.org

The Deaflympics, also known as Deaflympiad (previously called World Games for the Deaf, and International Games for the Deaf) are a periodic series of multi-sport events sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level. Unlike the athletes in other IOC-sanctioned events (the Olympics, the Paralympics, and the Special Olympics), athletes cannot be guided by sounds (such as starting pistols, bullhorn commands or referee whistles). [2] The games have been organized by the Comité International des Sports des Sourds (CISS, "The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf") since the first event in 1924.

Contents

History

The Deaflympics are held every four years, and are the longest running multi-sport event in history after the Olympics. [3] The first games, held in Paris in 1924, were the first ever international sporting event for athletes with a disability. [4] The event has been held every four years since, apart from a break for World War II, and an additional event, the Deaflympic Winter Games, was added in 1949. [5] The games began as a small gathering of 148 athletes from nine European nations competing in the International Silent Games in Paris, France, in 1924; now, they have grown into a global movement. [2]

Officially, the games were originally called the "International Games for the Deaf" from 1924 to 1965, but were sometimes also referred to as the "International Silent Games". From 1966 to 1999 they were called the "World Games for the Deaf", and occasionally referred to as the "World Silent Games". From 2001, the games have been known by their current name Deaflympics (often mistakenly called the Deaf Olympics). [5]

To qualify for the games, athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 dB in their "better ear". Hearing aids, cochlear implants, and the like are not allowed to be used in competition, to place all athletes on the same level. [5] Other examples of ways the games vary from hearing competitions are the manner in which they are officiated. To address the issue of Deaflympians not being able to be guided by sounds, certain sports use alternative methods of commencing the game. For example, the football referees wave a flag instead of blowing a whistle; on the track, races are started by using a light, instead of a starter pistol. It is also customary for spectators not to cheer or clap, but rather to wave with both hands, the Deaf form of applause.

After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) banned athletes from Russia and Belarus from that year's Deaflympics in Caxias do Sul, Brazil. [6]

Host nations and cities

To date, the Summer Deaflympic Games have been hosted by 24 cities in 20 countries, but by cities outside Europe on only six occasions (Washington, D.C. 1965, Los Angeles 1985, Christchurch 1989, Melbourne 2005, Taipei 2009 and Caxias do Sul in 2022). The last summer games were held in Caxias do Sul, Brazil and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2022. The Winter Deaflympic Games have been hosted by 17 cities in 12 countries. The last winter games were held in Erzurum, Turkey in 2024. The next summer games are scheduled to be in Tokyo, Japan between 15 and 26 November 2025.

The 2011 Winter Games scheduled to be held in Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia were cancelled due to the lack of readiness by the organizing committee to host the games. [7] [8] The International Committee of Deaf Sports filed a criminal complaint against the Slovak Deaflympics Organizing Committee and its president, Mr. Jaromír Ruda. [9] The criminal complaint demands reimbursement of the funds that were transferred to the Slovak Deaflympics Organizing Committee from national deaf sports federations, to cover hotel accommodations and other Deaflympics-related expenses. [9] According to the Slovak newspaper, SME, "Jaromír Ruda, head of the Slovak Organising Committee, [is] a champion of promises and someone who is accused of a 1.6 million Euro Deaflympics-related fraud". [10] In a letter to the United States Deaflympians, International Committee of Sports for the Deaf ICSD President Craig Crowley expressed "his deep apologies for the cancellation of the 17th Winter Deaflympics". [11] Currently, the Slovak Deaflympic Committee and the Slovakia Association of Deaf Sportsmen Unions have been suspended. [12] In 2013 the Special Criminal Court in Banská Bystrica sentenced Ruda to a prison term of 14+12 years for defrauding €1.6 million that should have been used for Winter Deaflympics. [13]

The host cities and National Deaf Sports Associations for all past and scheduled games are as follows: [4] [14]

Unique aspects

The Deaflympics are unique in that athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 dB in their better ear to qualify. Hearing aids, cochlear implants, and similar devices are not allowed during competition to ensure a level playing field. [15] Additionally, sports officiating methods are adapted; for example, football referees use flags instead of whistles, and track races are started with lights instead of pistols. [16]

Recent developments

The upcoming 2025 Summer Deaflympics will be hosted in Tokyo, Japan, [17] from November 15 to November 26, 2025. This will be the first time Japan hosts the Deaflympics.

Notable athletes

Terence Parkin: A South African swimmer, Terence Parkin is one of the most decorated Deaflympians, having won 33 medals in swimming events. He also competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he won a silver medal in the 200 m breaststroke. [18]

Reed Gershwind: An American swimmer, Reed Gershwind has won 30 medals in the Deaflympics, making him one of the most successful athletes in the history of the games. [19]

List of Summer Deaflympics hosts

GamesYearHostOpened byDatesNationsCompetitorsSportsEventsTop Nation
TotalMenWomen
1 1924 Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Paris, France Gaston Doumergue 10–17 August91481471631Flag of France.svg  France
2 1928 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Amsterdam, Netherlands Wilhelmina of the Netherlands 18–26 August1021219814538Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
3 1931 Flag of Germany.svg Nuremberg, Weimar Republic Paul von Hindenburg 19–23 August1431628828643Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany
4 1935 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London, Great Britain George V 17–24 August1222117843541Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
5 1939 Flag of Sweden.svg Stockholm, Sweden Gustaf V 24–27 August1325020842643Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
6 1949 Flag of Denmark.svg Copenhagen, Denmark Frederik IX of Denmark 12–16 August1439134249751Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
7 1953 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Brussels, Belgium Baudouin of Belgium 15–19 August1647343241757Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
8 1957 Flag of Italy.svg Milan, Italy Giovanni Gronchi 25–30 August2563556570969Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
9 1961 Flag of Finland.svg Helsinki, Finland Urho Kekkonen 6–10 August246135031101094Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
10 1965 Flag of the United States.svg Washington, D.C., United States Lyndon B. Johnson 27 June – 3 July27687575112985Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
11 1969 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Belgrade, Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito 9–16 August33118996422512105Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
12 1973 Flag of Sweden.svg Malmö, Sweden Gustaf VI Adolf 21–28 August3111168932231197Flag of the United States.svg  United States
13 1977 Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg Bucharest, Romania Nicolae Ceauşescu 17–27 July32115091323711106Flag of the United States.svg  United States
14 1981 Flag of Germany.svg Cologne, West Germany Helmut Schmidt 23 July – 1 August32119889330511110Flag of the United States.svg  United States
15 1985 Flag of the United States.svg Los Angeles, United States Ronald Reagan 10–20 August299957452501196Flag of the United States.svg  United States
16 1989 Flag of New Zealand.svg Christchurch, New Zealand David Lange 7–17 January3095572622912120Flag of the United States.svg  United States
17 1993 Flag of Bulgaria.svg Sofia, Bulgaria Zhelyu Zhelev 24 July – 2 August521679129538412126Flag of the United States.svg  United States
18 1997 Flag of Denmark.svg Copenhagen, Denmark John M. Lovett 13–26 July652028149653414140Flag of the United States.svg  United States
19 2001 Flag of Italy.svg Rome, Italy Carlo Azeglio Ciampi 22 July – 1 August672208156264614143Flag of the United States.svg  United States
20 2005 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Melbourne, Australia Marigold Southey 5–16 January632038140263614147Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine
21 2009 Flag of Chinese Taipei for Deaf.png Taipei, Chinese Taipei 1 Ma Ying-jeou 5–15 September802670171477917177Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
22 2013 Flag of Bulgaria.svg Sofia, Bulgaria 2 Rosen Plevneliev 26 July – 4 August28327111792919162032Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
23 2017 Flag of Turkey.svg Samsun, Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan 18–30 July972856189795918219Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
24 2022 Flag of Brazil.svg Caxias do Sul, Brazil First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro 1–15 May 2022371148910224671832193Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine
25 2025 Flag of Japan.svg Tokyo, Japan 15–26 November18216

1 Flag of the Republic of China.svg The Republic of China (Taiwan) is recognised as Chinese Taipei by CISS and the majority of international organisations it participates in due to political considerations and Cross-Strait relations with the People's Republic of China.

2 The marathon had been held 4 days before the opening ceremonies in Füssen, Germany on 21 July 2013. [20]

3 Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Summer Deaflympics that were to be held in December 2021 were postponed until May 2022, and due to the small number of venues near Caxias do Sul and Brazil and a small number of participants, the bowling events were transferred to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and were held between 20 and 30 October 2022. [21]

List of Winter Deaflympics hosts

GamesYearHostOpened byDatesNationsCompetitorsSportsEventsTop Nation
TotalMenWomen
1 1949 Flag of Austria.svg Seefeld, Austria 26–30 February53333025 Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland
2 1953 Flag of Norway.svg Oslo, Norway 20–24 February64442249Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
3 1955 Flag of Germany.svg Oberammergau, West Germany 10–13 February859545411Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
4 1959 Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Montana-Vermala, Switzerland 27–31 January1042314Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
5 1963 Flag of Sweden.svg Åre, Sweden 12–16 March960213Flag of Austria.svg  Austria
6 1967 Flag of Germany.svg Berchtesgaden, West Germany 20–25 February1289211Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
7 1971 Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Adelboden, Switzerland 25–30 February13145211 Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland
8 1975 Flag of the United States.svg Lake Placid, United States 2–8 February13136412Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
9 1979 Flag of France.svg Méribel, France 21–27 January14180312Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
10 1983 Flag of Italy.svg Madonna di Campiglio, Italy 13–23 January15147317Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
11 1987 Flag of Norway.svg Oslo, Norway 7–14 February15169318Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
12 1991 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Banff, Canada 2–9 March16175518Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
13 1995 Flag of Finland.svg Ylläs, Finland 14–19 March18260415Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
14 1999 Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Davos, Switzerland 6–14 March18273517Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
15 2003 Flag of Sweden.svg Sundsvall, Sweden 26 February – 9 March21259423Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
16 2007 Flag of the United States.svg Salt Lake City, United States 1–10 February23302526Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
17 2011 Flag of Slovakia.svg Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia 16–28 FebruaryCancelled
18 2015 Flag of Russia.svg Khanty-Mansiysk and Magnitogorsk, Russia 28 March – 5 April27344531Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
19 2019 Flag of Italy.svg Sondrio Province, Italy 12–21 December34493736Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
20 2024 Flag of Turkey.svg Erzurum, Turkey 2–12 March 202436534634Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine
21 2027 Flag of Austria.svg Innsbruck, Austria 15-24 January 20270000

All-time medal table

Combined

As of August 2024 (after the Winter Games in Erzurum)
RankNationSummerWinterCombined
Gold medal olympic.svgSilver medal olympic.svgBronze medal olympic.svgTotalGold medal olympic.svgSilver medal olympic.svgBronze medal olympic.svgTotalGold medal olympic.svgSilver medal olympic.svgBronze medal olympic.svgTotal
1 United States 3753213631059212934843963503971143
2 Russia 237206223666534042135290246265801
3 Soviet Union 17312410840524262171197150129476
4 Ukraine 16617517051114191346180194183557
5 West Germany 1211211203620000121121120362
6 Italy 929511930622141652114109135358
7 Iran 105819227810011068192279
8 Japan 79736021286620877966232
9 France 7493972641117154385110112307
10 Norway 32282585483640124806465209
11 South Korea 7973622140235797565219
12 Great Britain 6885952482226708797254
13 Finland 49514714721212062707267209
14 Sweden 6480612052151027669571232
15 Germany 5294932391319306265113123301
16 China 4634441241081129564255153
17 Hungary 5148421410123514944144
18 Australia 45283110464111513232115
19 Poland 44768420455111498185215
20 Canada 314137109188834494945143
21 Denmark 4740541410000474054141
22 Turkey 4251801730011425181174
23 Czech Republic 2012154718963338212180
24 Belarus 3748241090000374824109
25 South Africa 35171062000035171062
26 Netherlands 33352997000033352997
27 Chinese Taipei 3148501290000314850129
28 Switzerland 916164120292473294540114
29 India 269215600002692156
30 Austria 268162326277625323592
31 Yugoslavia 24132158011224142260
32 Kenya 21202566000021202566
33 Ireland 16151142000016151142
34 Bulgaria 1543511090000154351109
35 Belgium 15294185000015294185
36 Lithuania 15223067010115233068
37 Venezuela 14132754000014132754
38 Cuba 146123200001461232
39 Estonia 128153500001281535
40 Kazakhstan 7826411012882743
41 Croatia 76316114687722
42 Greece 711133100007111331
43 Slovakia 555152507710522
44 East Germany 78823000078823
45 Portugal 74617000074617
46 Romania 6914290000691429
47 Latvia 57416100167417
48 New Zealand 56718000056718
49 Slovenia 2237223744614
50 Malaysia 3114180000311418
51 Czechoslovakia 37919000037919
52 Mexico 333900003339
53 Puerto Rico 301400003014
54 Mongolia 2614220000261422
55 Spain 15713100125714
56 Singapore 211400002114
57 Argentina 14510000014510
58 Brazil 1113150112121417
59 Colombia 122500001225
60 Algeria 113500001135
61 Dominican Republic 110200001102
Ecuador 110200001102
63 Israel 003310011034
64 Macau 101200001012
Thailand 101200001012
United Arab Emirates 101200001012
67 Chile 100100001001
68 Kyrgyzstan 02911000002911
69 Georgia 021300000213
Nigeria 021300000213
71 Armenia 0110110000011011
72 Serbia 013400110145
73 Indonesia 013400000134
74 Moldova 011200000112
75 Iceland 010100000101
76 Uzbekistan 004400000044
77 Saudi Arabia 003300000033
78 Cyprus 001100000011
Egypt 001100000011
Hong Kong 001100000011
Turkmenistan 001100000011
Total249624982709770334934734410402845284530538743

Sports

Summer Deaflympics

The following sports have been contested in a Summer Deaflympic Games programme:

Sport (Discipline) Body 24 28 31 35 39 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 97 01 05 09 13 17 21
 
Current summer sports
 
Aquatics – Swimming71011101114181414151717262634313432383838384045
 
Athletics 172023232324263232333434353032364040434243444345
Badminton 5566666566
Basketball DIBF 1111111122222222222
Bowling 101010108127
 
Cycling – Mountain 222
Cycling – Road 331111133333344444444788
 
Football 111111111111111111222222
 
Golf 22
Handball 21112111211112
Judo 10171716
Karate 5151816
Orienteering 6658910
Shooting 11233433344448776610111213
Table Tennis 5577577777777777
Taekwondo 8131311
Tennis 225555555555555555555555
 
Volleyball – Beach 22222
Volleyball – Indoor 22222222222222
 
Wrestling – Freestyle 8881010101010108877788
Wrestling – Greco-Roman 8881010101010108877788
 
Discontinued summer sports
 
Aquatics – Diving 1111111111
Aquatics – Water Polo 11111111111
 
Gymnastics – Artistic 22131212
 
Demonstration summer sports
 
Gymnastics – Artistic
Gymnastics – Rhythmic
 
Total313843454751576994851059710611096120126140143147177203219216

Winter Deaflympics

The following sports have been contested in a Winter Deaflympic Games programme:

Sport (Discipline) Body 4953555963677175798387919599 03 07 15 19 23
 
Current winter sports
 
Chess 45
Curling 2223
Futsal 2
Ice hockey 1111111
 
Skiing – Alpine 346108666688688810101010
Skiing – Snowboarding 6510106
Skiing – NordicCross-country 2333555666666889898
 
Discontinued winter sports
 
Skiing – Nordic – Nordic combined 11
Skiing – Nordic – Ski jumping 111
 
Speed skating 345
 
Demonstration winter sports
 
Curling
Ice hockey
 
Skiing – Snowboarding
 
Speed skating
 
Total591114131111121217181815172327313634

See also

References

  1. "Constitution". Archived 25 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine . International Committee of Sports for the Deaf. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 International Committee of Sports for the Deaf – News Archived 23 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine . Deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  3. What are the Deaflympics?. Disabled World. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  4. 1 2 Future Directions of the Deaflympics Archived 13 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine . Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 Historical overview of the Paralympics, Special Olympics, and Deaflympics Archived 13 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine . Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  6. "Russia excluded from Deaflympics after plea from Ukraine". www.insidethegames.biz. 12 March 2022.
  7. Winter Olympics: 2011 Winter Deaflympics Cancelled Archived 25 January 2013 at archive.today . Healthyhearing.com (17 February 2011). Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  8. International Committee of Sports for the Deaf – PressRelease Archived 15 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine . Deaflympics.com (13 February 2011). Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  9. 1 2 ICSD Pursuing Legal Action Following Failure of 17th Winter Deaflympics Archived 24 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine . Deaf Sports Mag. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  10. Slovakia: Deaflympics 2011 Controversy · Global Voices. Globalvoices.org. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  11. 2011 US Deaflympics – Article | Letter from ICSD to USA athletes Archived 9 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine . Usdeaflympics.org (17 February 2011). Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  12. International Committee of Sports for the Deaf – PressRelease Archived 18 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine . Deaflympics.com (14 February 2011). Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  13. Deaflympics Committee Head Sentenced to Thirteen Years – English News. Webnoviny.sk. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  14. International Committee of Sports for the Deaf – Games. Deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  15. Falk, Michael (6 October 2023). "wikkitidy: Tidy Analysis of Wikipedia" . CRAN: Contributed Packages. doi:10.32614/cran.package.wikkitidy . Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  16. Falk, Michael (6 October 2023). "wikkitidy: Tidy Analysis of Wikipedia" . CRAN: Contributed Packages. doi:10.32614/cran.package.wikkitidy . Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  17. "TOKYO 2025 DEAFLYMPICS Portal Site | 東京2025デフリンピック 大会ポータルサイト". TOKYO 2025 DEAFLYMPICS Portal Site. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  18. Falk, Michael (6 October 2023). "wikkitidy: Tidy Analysis of Wikipedia" . CRAN: Contributed Packages. doi:10.32614/cran.package.wikkitidy . Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  19. Falk, Michael (6 October 2023). "wikkitidy: Tidy Analysis of Wikipedia" . CRAN: Contributed Packages. doi:10.32614/cran.package.wikkitidy . Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  20. "Sofia 2013 22nd Deaflympics Marathon Details". CISS. Archived from the original on 23 July 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  21. "Deaflympics 2021 in Bowling". CISS. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  22. "Deaflympics". deaflympics.com. Retrieved 25 March 2017.