Is a deaf athlete a disabled athlete?

Sports and human rights are interrelated and that is why I believe every citizen, either able-bodied or with physical impairment, should have the opportunity to participate in sports events. In 1976 Unesco adopted an International Charter of Physical Education and Sports for all where every person - men, women, young people, the elderly and those with disabilities - is entitled to participate in sports. No doubt that the modern Olympics have inspired the Deaflympics, Paralympics and Special Olympics. Olympics is for able-bodied men and women athletes, Deaflympics is for deaf athletes, Paralympics is for disabled athletes and Special Olympics for athletes with intellectual disabilities (below average cognitive abilities). Paralympics consists of six different groups which are amputee, cerebral palsy, visual impairments, spinal cord injuries, intellectual disabilities and others. Although the athletes with intellectual disabilities participated in the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, they now meet at Special Olympics. Most events in the Paralympics are adopted according to physical abilities while in Deaflympics athletes are forbidden to use any kind of hearing aids or cochlear implants during competition. The fact is deafness does not slow an athlete's speed or ability to jump higher, kick the soccer ball, bat or bowl in cricket and swing a racket or to swim to the end of a pool lane. Besides, deafness can help athletes to concentrate on the game. If so, where do we deaf athletes fit in? The rules of deaf sports are the same as in the Olympic Games, as the deaf athletes are not disabled in any manner except communication. Thus we see in deaf games, the soccer or football referees wave flags instead of blowing whistles, and on the track, races are stated by using a light flash (strobe light), instead of starter pistol. With these provisions, deaf athletes can compete with the able-bodied athletes. During our time in Bangladesh, I had no opportunity to compete in deaf sports despite my deafness. I competed with the able-bodied sportsmen in the national cricket, athletics and youth soccer competitions. We had no provision for flash lights in college sports or other sports. I still secured the first position in 110m hurdles race alongside other track-field events and became champion twice in my college sports. My college sports instructor dropped his handkerchief from his right hand as he heard the sound of the pistol fire. Following his instruction I was able to compete in the 110m hurdles race with success. During our time, the FIFA rule for the referee was to waive the flag to draw the attention of the deaf footballers in an able-bodied soccer match. Unfortunately, our referees were not familiar with the rule. As a result, I played depending on my common sense and with the knowledge of the 17 rules of the soccer game. When my opponent would charge me, I immediately used to look at the referee or linesmen to comprehend the situation of the game. It was a little bit difficult for me, but in cricket I would feel more comfortable as the game is almost a sign game. As a result, it helped me to become an all-rounder in cricket. In India, Anjan Bhattacharjee, a deaf bowler played a dozen Ranji Trophy cricket matches with the able-bodied cricketers in the early 1970s. He won the prestigious national Arjuna Award for sports. Many deaf athletes participated in the Olympic Games and some of them earned Olympic medals, too. They are Tamika Catchings of USA who won the gold medal in basketball in 2008 Beijing Olympics, Terrence Parkin of South Africa who won the silver medal in the 200 meter breaststroke in 2000 Sydney Olympics and Jueri Jaanson of Estonia who won the silver medals in rowing single sculls and rowing double sculls in 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics respectively. As we see, amputee and vision impairments fall into the category of the Paralympics which is known as disabled sports. Natalie du Toit, the South African swimmer and the first disabled Olympian, fought very well in the women's 10,000m open water marathon swimming and secured 16th place among 24 swimmers in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. With her left leg amputated below the knee, Natalie's performance was eye-catching. In 1969, Nawab of Pataudi, the Indian cricket legend, lost vision of one of his eyes permanently in a car accident. Despite that he was able to play Test cricket. Why should we call them disabled athletes? They rose above their disabilities and overcame the overwhelming odds and led a very successful athletic life. We should call them super athletes instead of disabled athletes. (The writer can be reached at email: iftuahmed@sbcglobal.net)