2013 Deaflympics: Sofia, Bulgaria 26 July to 4 August
Author: Ian C. Langtree - View Credentials
Published: 31 May 2013 - Updated: 13 Jul 2013
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Overview - Related Content
Synopsis
The 2013 Summer Deaflympics will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria 26 July to 4 August.
Overview
The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) have announced that the 2013 Summer Deaflympics will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria from 26 July to 4 August.ICSD is pleased to confirm the sports that will feature in the Sofia 2013 Deaflympics, and they are Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Bowling, Cycling, Football, Handball, Judo, Karate, Orienteering, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Volleyball and Wrestling. We are expecting record numbers of competitors in these sports.
The Deaflympics (previously called World Games for the Deaf, and International Games for the Deaf) are an IOC-sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level. The games have been organized by the Comite International des Sports des Sourds (CISS, "The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf") since the first event.
As the Deaf athletes possess no physical or mental disabilities, but only hearing loss, they are not eligible to participate in the Paralympic Games; instead, they come together in their own competitions designed specifically to satisfy their physical, psychological, and social needs.
To qualify for the Deaflympics, athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 db in their "better ear". Hearing aids, cochlear implants etc. are not allowed to be used, in order to place all athletes on the same level, as the communication between athletes and trainers or team-mates is prevented during the competition.
The use of sign language is allowed, as it can be used by everybody, provided they can see, and it constitutes the language of the community of the deaf people, which most athletes prefer.
The 20 summer Deaflympic events include athletics, badminton, handball, judo, karate, orienteering, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, cycling road, football, tennis, volleyball, water polo, wrestling freestyle, wrestling Greco-Roman.
Author Credentials: Ian C. Langtree is a writer, editor, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, which he established in 2004 as one of the longest-running independent resources for disability news and information. Over more than two decades, he has written and edited thousands of articles on disability rights, health, accessibility, and assistive technology. Drawing on a global perspective shaped by extensive travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed advocate of the Social Model of Disability, the framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that focuses on removing societal barriers rather than on individual impairments. His writing is grounded in that framework and in a lasting commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.