India is all set to compete in the 24th Summer Deaflympics to be held in Caxias do Sul, Brazil from 1st May 2022. A strong Indian contingent of 65 athletes will be participating in the Games. It is the largest and the youngest contingent ever from India to participate in the Deaflympics. The athletes will compete in a total of 11 sports disciplines: Athletics, Badminton, Judo, Golf, Karate, Shooting, Swimming, Tennis, Table Tennis, Taekwondo and Wrestling.
In the last Deaflympics 2017 in Turkey, India clinched a total of 5 medals; 1 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze. A total of 46 athletes took part in the Deaflympics 2017 and this time with the largest and the youngest contingent ever, the country will look to improve the previous record.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur gave a rousing send-off ceremony to team India
Before leaving for Brazil, the 65 athletes contingent was given a rousing send-off ceremony in the presence of the Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports Anurag Thakur.
While addressing the event, the Sports Minister mentioned, “On behalf of everyone in the country, I not only give the best of wishes to all of you but also want to say that you have already shown your mettle by getting selected to represent India for the Games. Since this is the biggest contingent, I also believe we will also get the highest number of medals from Brazil. India will be the next big sporting powerhouse, be it in Olympics, Paralympics or Deaflympics. India will not stop. This century is ours and we will keep on unfurling India’s flag on all sporting arenas.”
The Union Minister also spoke about the immense support provided to the athletes by the All India Sports Council for the Deaf (AISCD) and the Sports Authority of India. “Both the AISCD and SAI have given a lot of support to the athletes. A 30-day National Coaching Camp was facilitated across the SAI centres for the Deaflympics-bound athletes. Besides that, SAI arranged everything for the athletes like giving them kits, ceremonial dress for the Deaflympics as well as arranging for their accommodation, lodging, boarding and transportation,” added Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
What is Deaflympics?
Deaflympics is a competition of deaf sport for deaf athletes who compete at an elite international level. Unlike the athletes in other IOC-sanctioned events like the Olympics, the Paralympics, and the Special Olympics, the Deaflympians cannot be guided by sounds (i.e., the starter’s guns, bullhorn commands or referee whistles). The games have been organized by the Comite International des Sports des Sourds, CISS (The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf). The Summer Deaflympics takes place every 4 years and is the oldest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.
History of Deaflympics?
The first games were held in 1924 in Paris with athletes from nine European nations, back then it was known as the International Silent Games. The Deaflympics was the inspiration of Eugène Rubens-Alcais, himself deaf and President of the French Deaf Sports Federation.
After the successful completion of the initial Paris Games, deaf sporting leaders established Le Comité International des Sports Silencieux (the International Committee of Silent Sports), commonly known as the CISS. Recently, the CISS was renamed Le Comité International des Sports des Sourds (The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf), the ICSD.
After almost a century, today the number of national federations in the ICSD membership has reached 116. This is a huge difference as compared to 1924 when the number was nine. To date, 23 Summer Games have taken place consistently at 4-year intervals since the initial Paris games. the 1943 and 1947 Games did not take place because of World War II.
