Do You Know About the Deaflympics?

What are the Deaflympics? 

The Deaflympics are an international multi-sports event for deaf athletes; the name comes from combining the words “Deaf” and “Olympics”. It is organized by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), and similar to the Olympic Games, it is held every four years. 

The first Deaflympic Games, known as the International Silent Games, were held in Paris, France, in 1924. It was the second internationally organized sporting event of its kind, after the modern Olympic Games. Participants included 148 athletes from a total of 9 European countries. At that time, deaf people were viewed as intellectually inferior and treated as outcasts. Eugene Rubens-Alcais, a deaf competitive cyclist and activist, developed his vision of international games for the deaf by leading the Paris Sports Club for Deaf Mutes and founding the French Deaf Mute Sports Federation (now the French Deaf Sports Federation, FSSF). He used his deaf sports magazine, The Silent Sportsman, to promote the idea. Belgian runner and tennis player Antoine Dresse shared Rubens Alcais’s vision about the deaf games. He was instrumental in the execution of the games, and together they worked tirelessly to bring their dream to life. He not only organized the games, but also competed and won two bronze medals in tennis in the first games. He went on to win a total of 7 medals across 5 games. 

In 1935, Japan joined the Deaflympics as the first Asian member, and the US joined the same year as the first North American member, followed by Australia and New Zealand in 1955. Now, athletes from over 100 countries compete in the Deaflympics, including Iran, Yemen, Uruguay, and Pakistan, to name a few.  In 1996, the name of the games was changed to the World Games for the Deaf, and in 2001, it was finally rebranded as the Deaflympics. The Deaflympics became a groundbreaking event that challenged assumptions about deaf people’s capabilities. 

100th Anniversary

In 2025, to mark the 100th anniversary of the Deaflympics, the 25th Games were held in Japan for the first time. A record 3,081 athletes from 81 countries and regions participated in 21 sports at the event. A total of 270 Japanese athletes participated in all sports, including events that Japan had not participated in before. Japan finished with 51 medals, far surpassing its previous record of 30 medals. 

General entry to the games was free, while tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies were issued through a lottery system. Hisamatsu Mitsuji, the head of the local Deaflympics organizing committee, said, “In just a few words, it made me almost burst into tears,” admiring the turnout. The event drew in about 280,000 spectators, almost triple the expected target. 

Noteworthy Deaflympians

Maki Yamada, a 28-year-old deaflympian, won gold medals in the 400 m and 4 × 400 m relay, as well as a silver medal in the 200 m at the last Deaflympics in Tokyo. He is a decorated and leading figure in deaf athletics, breaking his own deaf Japan record. Raised in a hearing family, he often felt left out as the only deaf member of his family. He attended a school for deaf children and felt “that the school for the deaf was my place”. He was not particularly a fast runner growing up, but as he grew older, he started to enjoy running and joined the track and field club at his school. He began competing in international games in his second year of university. He is also an actor. 

Terence Parkin is a deaf swimmer from South Africa who has competed in both Olympic and Deaflympic Games. He is the most successful athlete in the Deaflympics, holding a total of 33 medals. He uses his platform to push access to swimming for deaf children and travels the world speaking on water safety. He has given talks in countries including Pakistan, Russia, and the Philippines. Fellow South African Olympian Ryk Neethling calls him a “powerful role model for children everywhere, and an inspiration for anyone who is struggling to overcome the odds”. 

Diksha Dagar, an Indian golfer, is a two-time gold medallist at the Deaflympics. She has competed in two Olympics, making her the first Indian deaf athlete to represent India in the Olympics. She was introduced to golf by her father at 7 years old and, at just 15, became the leading female amateur golfer in India. 

The Deaflympics are more than just a sporting event. They continue to inspire people around the world and show us what deaf athletes can achieve. The next time you hear about the Deaflympics, why not take a closer look and cheer on these remarkable athletes?

Written by まりか