Deaflympics
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The Deaflympics (previously called World Games for the Deaf, and International Games for the Deaf) are an IOC sanctioned event for Deaf people to compete at an elite level.
The Deaflympics are held every 4 years, and are the longest running multi-sport event excluding the Olympics themselves. In 2005 the 20th games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. According to the Deaflympics website (http://www.deaflympics.com/about/), "more than 3,000 deaf athletes and officials from 75 nations" participated in the recent Melbourne Games.
To qualify for the games, athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 db in their "better ear". Hearing aids, cochlear implants and the like are not allowed to be used in competition, to place all athletes on the same level. Other examples of ways the games vary from hearing competitions are the manner in which they are officiated. The football referees wave a flag instead of blowing a whistle. On the track, races are started by using a light flash, instead of a starter pistol.
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Names of the Games
Officially, the games were originally called the "International Games for the Deaf" from 1924 to 1965, but were sometimes refered to as the "International Silent Games". From 1966 to 1999 they were called the "World Games for the Deaf", and occasionally refered to as the "World Silent Games". From 2000, the games have been known by their Current Name "Deaflympics" (often mistakenly called the "Deaf Olympics").
Future Games
16th Winter Games, 2007 - Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
21st Summer Games, 2009 - Taipei, China
Past Games
Summer Games
1st Summer Games, 1924 - Paris, France
2nd Summer Games, 1928 - Amsterdam, Netherlands
3rd Summer Games, 1931 - Nuremberg, West Germany
4th Summer Games, 1935 - London, England
5th Summer Games, 1939 - Stockholm, Sweden
- No games were held between 1939-1949 due to WWII
6th Summer Games, 1949 - Copenhagen, Denmark
7th Summer Games, 1953 - Brussels, Belgium
8th Summer Games, 1957 - Milan, Italy
9th Summer Games, 1961 - Helsinki, Finland
10th Summer Games, 1965 - Washington, USA
11th Summer Games, 1969 - Belgrade, Yugoslavia
12th Summer Games, 1973 - Malmo, Sweden
13th Summer Games, 1977 - Bucharest, Romania
14th Summer Games, 1981 - Cologne, West Germany
15th Summer Games, 1985 - Los Angeles, USA
16th Summer Games, 1989 - Christchurch, New Zealand
17th Summer Games, 1993 - Sofia, Bulgaria
18th Summer Games, 1997 - Copenhagen, Denmark
19th Summer Games, 2001 - Rome, Italy
20th Summer Games, 2005 - Melbourne, Australia
Winter Games
1st Winter Games, 1949 - Seefeld, Austria
2nd Winter Games, 1953 - Oslo, Norway
3rd Winter Games, 1955 - Oberamergau, West Germany
4th Winter Games, 1959 - Montana-Vermala, Switzerland
5th Winter Games, 1963 - Are, Sweden
6th Winter Games, 1967 - Berchtesgaden, Germany
7th Winter Games, 1971 - Abelboden, Switzerland
8th Winter Games, 1975 - Lake Placid, USA
9th Winter Games, 1979 - Meribel, France
10th Winter Games, 1983 - Madonna Di Campigilio, Italy
11th Winter Games, 1987 - Oslo, Norway
12th Winter Games, 1991 - Banff, Canada
13th Winter Games, 1995 - Yllas, Finland
14th Winter Games, 1999 - Davos, Switzerland
15th Winter Games, 2003 - Sundsvall, Sweden
Links
Melbourne 2005 Deaflympic Games (http://www.2005deaflympics.com/) CISS/Deaflympics (http://www.deaflympics.com/) Deaf Sports Australia (http://www.deafsports.org.au/)
References
Deaflympics (http://www.deaflympics.com/) Gallaudet University (http://library.gallaudet.edu/dr/faq-deaf-sports-igd.html)
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