Deaf sports, world's fastest growing sports
Friday, 19 December 2008
Iftu Ahmed
DEAF people are often viewed as intellectually inferior, linguistically impoverished and treated them as outcasts, though they can do everything EXCEPT hearing. World Deaf athletics (track and field), badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, cricket, cross country, cycling, futsal (an indoor version of association football), golf, handball, ice hockey, soccer, summer Deaflympics (deaf Olympic games), volleyball, winter Deaflympics, water polo, wrestling tennis and table tennis championships amply testify this.
In 1924, the First International Silent Games was held in Paris, France. It was the first recorded games for any group of people with disabilities. After the games, the deaf sporting leaders assembled at a café and established Le Comite International des Sports Silencieux, which in French means the International Committee of Silent Sports (CISS).
The CISS was later renamed Le Comite Internationa des Sports des Sourds or the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD). The ICSD, the international governing body of sports for the deaf and hard of hearing athletes is situated in Frederick, Maryland, USA.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognised the ICSD as a "Sport for Athletes with a Disability" on equal footing and standing with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The ICSD organises both Summer and Winter Deaflympics and Regional Championships. Currently, 96 national deaf sports federations are members of the ICSD.
The Deaflympics are held every four years like the Olympic Games. No Deaflympics were held between 1940 and 1948 due to the World War II. Each Olympiad is designated by Roman numerals. Similarly, Deaflympics also use Roman numerals.
In 1924, the First Summer Deaflympics was held in Paris, France and 148 athletes from nine European countries participated. In 2005, XX Summer Deaflympics was held in Melbourne, Australia and 2,049 athletes of 64 nations took part. On September, 2009, Taipei, Chinese Taipei will host XXI Summer Deaflympics and on August, 2013, Athens, Greece, will host XXII Summer Deaflympics.
In 1949, the First Winter Deaflympics was held in Seefeld, Austria and 34 athletes from five nations took part. In 2007, XVI Winter Deaflympics was held in Salt Lake City, USA, and 298 athletes from 23 counties participated. On February, 20ll, High Tatras, Slovakia will host XVII Winter Deaflypmics.
In 1965, X Summer Deaflympics was held in Washington DC, USA, for the first time outside Europe.
The ICSD's four Regional Confederation Representatives are the European Deaf Sports Organisation (EDSO), the Asia Pacific Deaf Sports Confederation (APDSC), the Confederation of African Deaf Sports (CADS) and the Pan American Deaf Sports Organisation (PANAMDES).
The EDSO consists of 41 countries, the APDSC consists of 28 countries including Bangladesh, the CADS consists of 19 countries and the PANAMDES consists of 12 countries.
In 1945, the American Athletic Union of the Deaf (AAUD) was established. It was later renamed as American Athletic Association of the Deaf (AAAD). In 1957, the AAAD was incorporated. In 1997, the House of Delegates voted to change the AAAD to USA Deaf Sports federation (USADSF).
The USADSF is the sole governing body for the deaf and hard of hearing athletes in the USA. Situated in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the USADSF is recognised by the ICSD and is a member of United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
In 2004, the Deaf Cricket International Federation (DCIF) was established. The deaf cricket nations are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe. The DCIF announced that New Zealand will host the 2009 Deaf World Cup Cricket.
To qualify in deaf sports, athletes must have a hearing loss of 55 Decibels (DB) or greater in their better ear. No hearing aids or cochlear implants are permitted during sports competition. In deaf games, the football referees wave a flag instead of blowing a whistle and on the track, races are started by using a light flash, instead of a starter pistol.
The competition between able-bodied sports and disabled sports is not new. Many disabled athletes around the globe competed with the able-bodied.
Natalie du Toit, the South African swimmer, whose left leg was amputated below her knee, was the first disabled Olympian to compete in the 2008 Games of the XXIX Olympiad, held in Beijing, China.
Deaf Indian bomber, Anjan Bhattacharjee, who played a dozen Ranji Trophy matches in the early 1970s, was honoured with the prestigious Arjuna Award of that country. Six other Indian disabled athletes won the Arjuna award in athletics, swimming and badminton for competing with able bodied competitors.
The writer, who lives in the US, participated in the National Cricket, Youth Soccer and Athletics of Bangladesh from Mymensingh District Team, despite deafness
DEAF people are often viewed as intellectually inferior, linguistically impoverished and treated them as outcasts, though they can do everything EXCEPT hearing. World Deaf athletics (track and field), badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, cricket, cross country, cycling, futsal (an indoor version of association football), golf, handball, ice hockey, soccer, summer Deaflympics (deaf Olympic games), volleyball, winter Deaflympics, water polo, wrestling tennis and table tennis championships amply testify this.
In 1924, the First International Silent Games was held in Paris, France. It was the first recorded games for any group of people with disabilities. After the games, the deaf sporting leaders assembled at a café and established Le Comite International des Sports Silencieux, which in French means the International Committee of Silent Sports (CISS).
The CISS was later renamed Le Comite Internationa des Sports des Sourds or the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD). The ICSD, the international governing body of sports for the deaf and hard of hearing athletes is situated in Frederick, Maryland, USA.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognised the ICSD as a "Sport for Athletes with a Disability" on equal footing and standing with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The ICSD organises both Summer and Winter Deaflympics and Regional Championships. Currently, 96 national deaf sports federations are members of the ICSD.
The Deaflympics are held every four years like the Olympic Games. No Deaflympics were held between 1940 and 1948 due to the World War II. Each Olympiad is designated by Roman numerals. Similarly, Deaflympics also use Roman numerals.
In 1924, the First Summer Deaflympics was held in Paris, France and 148 athletes from nine European countries participated. In 2005, XX Summer Deaflympics was held in Melbourne, Australia and 2,049 athletes of 64 nations took part. On September, 2009, Taipei, Chinese Taipei will host XXI Summer Deaflympics and on August, 2013, Athens, Greece, will host XXII Summer Deaflympics.
In 1949, the First Winter Deaflympics was held in Seefeld, Austria and 34 athletes from five nations took part. In 2007, XVI Winter Deaflympics was held in Salt Lake City, USA, and 298 athletes from 23 counties participated. On February, 20ll, High Tatras, Slovakia will host XVII Winter Deaflypmics.
In 1965, X Summer Deaflympics was held in Washington DC, USA, for the first time outside Europe.
The ICSD's four Regional Confederation Representatives are the European Deaf Sports Organisation (EDSO), the Asia Pacific Deaf Sports Confederation (APDSC), the Confederation of African Deaf Sports (CADS) and the Pan American Deaf Sports Organisation (PANAMDES).
The EDSO consists of 41 countries, the APDSC consists of 28 countries including Bangladesh, the CADS consists of 19 countries and the PANAMDES consists of 12 countries.
In 1945, the American Athletic Union of the Deaf (AAUD) was established. It was later renamed as American Athletic Association of the Deaf (AAAD). In 1957, the AAAD was incorporated. In 1997, the House of Delegates voted to change the AAAD to USA Deaf Sports federation (USADSF).
The USADSF is the sole governing body for the deaf and hard of hearing athletes in the USA. Situated in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the USADSF is recognised by the ICSD and is a member of United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
In 2004, the Deaf Cricket International Federation (DCIF) was established. The deaf cricket nations are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe. The DCIF announced that New Zealand will host the 2009 Deaf World Cup Cricket.
To qualify in deaf sports, athletes must have a hearing loss of 55 Decibels (DB) or greater in their better ear. No hearing aids or cochlear implants are permitted during sports competition. In deaf games, the football referees wave a flag instead of blowing a whistle and on the track, races are started by using a light flash, instead of a starter pistol.
The competition between able-bodied sports and disabled sports is not new. Many disabled athletes around the globe competed with the able-bodied.
Natalie du Toit, the South African swimmer, whose left leg was amputated below her knee, was the first disabled Olympian to compete in the 2008 Games of the XXIX Olympiad, held in Beijing, China.
Deaf Indian bomber, Anjan Bhattacharjee, who played a dozen Ranji Trophy matches in the early 1970s, was honoured with the prestigious Arjuna Award of that country. Six other Indian disabled athletes won the Arjuna award in athletics, swimming and badminton for competing with able bodied competitors.
The writer, who lives in the US, participated in the National Cricket, Youth Soccer and Athletics of Bangladesh from Mymensingh District Team, despite deafness