Deaflympic Games

The Deaflympic Games, under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee, is the second oldest multi sport and cultural festival on earth with a long and proud history since the Inaugural Games in Paris in 1924.

In the years prior to 1924, International sports provided limited opportunities for deaf people. Deaf sporting leaders assembled in 1924 and agreed to establish an organisation called the Comité International des Sports des Sourds (CISS); to establish a union between all deaf National sporting federations and to draft statutes for this organisation to institute and control the quadrennial Games.

This historic meeting heralded the commencement of the Deaflympic Games movement.

The Summer and Winter Deaflympics are among the world's fastest growing sports events. More than 3,200 deaf athletes and officials from 67 nations participated in the 20th Summer Deaflympics in Melbourne, Australia, in January 2005. Over 600 athletes and officials participated in the 16th Winter Deaflympics in Salt Lake City, United States in February 2007.

The games are built on 80 years of tradition. Organized since 1924 by the Comité International des Sports des Sourds, CISS (The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf), the first Summer Deaflympics were held in Paris. Winter Deaflympics were added in 1949. The Summer and Winter Deaflympics are sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee, IOC.

The need for separate games for deaf athletes is not just evident in the numbers of participants. Deaf athletes are distinguished from all others in their special communication needs on the sports field, as well as in the social interaction that is an equally vital part of the games.

Taipei 2009 Deaflympic Games

 Summer Deaflympic Games

  • Paris 1924
  • Amsterdam 1928
  • Nurnberg 1931
  • London 1935
  • Stockholm 1939
  • Copenhagen 1949
  • Brussels 1953
  • Milan 1957
  • Helsinki 1961
  • Washington DC 1965
  • Belgrade 1969
  • Malmo 1973
  • Bucharest 1977
  • Koln 1981
  • Los Angeles 1985
  • Christchurch 1989
  • Sofia 1993
  • Copenhagen 1997
  • Rome 2001
  • Melbourne 2005
  • Taipei 2009
  • Athens 2013

Winter Deaflympic Games

  • Seefeld 1949
  • Oslo 1953
  • Oberammergau 1955
  • Montana-Vermala 1959
  • Are 1963
  • Berchtesgaden 1967
  • Abelboden 1971
  • Lake Placid 1975
  • Meribel 1979
  • Madonna di Campiglio 1983
  • Oslo 1987
  • Banff 1991
  • Yilas 1995
  • Davos 1999
  • Sundsvall 2003
  • Salt Lake 2007
  • High Tatras 2011

Deaflympic Games

Date Event Detail:
05/09/09 21st Summer Deaflympic Games Taipei 2009 Taipei, Taiwan.
31/07/13 22nd Summer Deaflympic Games Athens 2013 Athens, Greece (GRE)

 

back to top ^
X