Deaflympics: Why the deaf community separated themselves from the Paralympics

The Paralympics is often seen as a sport forum that provides the opportunity for people with different types of disabilities to congregate in order to compete against each other on an international level. However, there is still one type of disability that is not fully represented at the Paralympics. Deaf people are not fully represented at the Paralympics because of the costs necessary in order to provide each with a translator and to ensure that gunfire and buzzers are adequately transmitted for the hear impaired athletes. Because of this inadequate representation of handicapped athletes, a viewer can begin to question how adequately the Paralympics represents athletes with disabilities.

The Paralympics has six different categories into which the athletes are sorted before competing, however, the IPC does not set aside a group for the hearing impaired. In order to compete in the Paralympics, a deaf athlete must also possess another disability that meets a Paralympic classification in order to be added to a category for competition. Originally, deaf people were included in the Paralympics, but disassociated themselves in 1924 in order to cater the games more specifically to their needs. After this the Deaflympics began and is hosted the year after the Olympics and Paralympics. It ensures that visual cues are used on the playing fields, lights are used to begin races, and fans cheer by waving since the competitors cannot hear verbal chants.

Yet, challenges are still faced by deaf athletes and coaches. Communication remains to be a difficult hurdle to overcome. Translators are necessary in order to convert the English language into sign language for those with hearing impairment. Unfortunately, translator fees can amount to large sums for individual athletes and teams as a whole. Another challenge faced by the Deaflympics is the lack of support it receives from the IOC. While the IOC has fully supported the Paralympics since 2001 allowing for needed changes to be made to the Olympic Village in preparation for the Paralympic competitors, no helping hand had been extended to the deaf athletes. They are expected to be able to address the problems they face on their own.

I think that the deaf athletes are entitled to equal representation and opportunity. To leave behind an athlete that has a disability making communication and competition extremely difficult is deplorable. Just because a person cannot hear does not mean that they are any less worth the effort to provide for. Think of a child or teenager out there who cannot hear. Do you think they should be discouraged from try to learn and compete in a sport just because they cannot hear the start whistle? No. They should have the same opportunity to become a successful athlete as an able bodied person. The deaf community should also have the ability to popularize more deaf athletes to become role models for young people nationwide who are growing up without the ability to hear.

I hope that the Deaflympics continues to operate in order to give deaf citizens the ability to compete at an elite world level. I also hope that the IPC can turn its eye back to the deaf community and set aside money for them so that the deaf may be allowed to compete in the future. Living without the capability to hear can be more of a disability than the average person thinks. Let us not allow our ignorance cloud our vision.