As disabled athletes gear up to compete in the Paralympics in Paris over the next 11 days, one particular group of disabled people won’t be visible on our TV screens showing off their sporting skills: deaf people.
The “eligible impairment types” for the games listed by the International Paralympic Committee are: impaired muscle power; impaired passive range of movement; limb deficiency; leg length difference; short stature; hypertonia (an increase in muscle tension, with cerebral palsy and stroke falling into this category); ataxia (a loss of muscle control); athetosis (involuntary contractual movements); visual impairment and “intellectual impairment”.
And while deaf athletes appeared in the recent Olympics (David Smith picked up a bronze medal for Team USA in Volleyball, while golfer Diksha Dagar represented India, for example), the lack of a dedicated category means they won’t be seen in the Paralympics, unless they have another disability or “impairment” which qualifies them for entry.
Instead, deaf people have the Deaflympics, which began in 1924 – well before the first Paralympic Games started in 1960.
This, of course, means the dedicated contest celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.
According to UK Deaf Sport (UKDS), which oversees Great Britain’s Deaflympics team, there is “overwhelming support” for the games being separate from the Paralympics.
A frequently asked questions (FAQ) webpage on its website reads: “Many Deaf people do not consider themselves disabled, particularly in physical or intellectual ability. Rather, we consider ourselves to be part of a cultural and linguistic minority.
“The Deaf athlete is physically able-bodied and able to compete without significant restrictions, with the exception of communication barriers. The Deaf athlete views the disabled athlete as being a hearing person first and disabled second.”
UKDS goes on to add that hearing people at sporting events are “able to converse freely with each other as long as they have a common language”, compared to Deaf athletes, who are “always excluded from the group”.
“On the other hand, at the Deaf Games, or any other event at which Deaf people meet, Deaf athletes can usually communicate [with] other Deaf athletes, regardless of which country they may be representing,” they say.
Countries obviously have their own national sign languages – British Sign Language, American Sign Language, Langues de Signes Français, for example – but there is also International Sign Language, which the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters describes as a “pidgin form of sign language” with a “limited lexicon”.
However, while the UK Government announced back in 2021 that it would provide £232 million of funding to Team GB and Paralympics GB for the 2024 games in Paris, deaf athletes representing Great Britain in the Deaflympics receive no government funding whatsoever.
It means athletes competing in Tokyo next year will currently have to fundraise just to represent their country, taking time out of training to generate financial support.
Nathan Young, a deaf swimmer for Great Britain who picked up a bronze medal at the 2017 Deaflympics in Turkey, has said deaf athletes have been “treated like a fallen branch” as a result of the lack of awareness and funding for the Deaflympics, and have been “left on the ground open to the elements”.
In a statement published on UKDS’s website as part of its ‘Fair Play for Deaf Athletes’ campaign, Young said: “For the last 10 years I have trained 20+ hours a week, attended university and worked – all while having to fund all my training and competition costs, relying heavily on my parents and those who kindly donate.
“I have put a potential role in the audiology profession on hold to continue to represent my country and inspire as many deaf children as I can, all because I am deaf.
“At the World Deaf Swimming Championships, I came fourth, and the athletes who finished first, second and third represented countries with government funding.
“GB deaf athletes’ potential is limited because of the sacrifice made to training due to having to fundraise. The mental impact of knowing that these athletes are funded and supported to the highest level and most importantly their country treat them fairly and equally is irreversible and so wrong.”
UKDS is asking the government to provide initial funding of £3 million over the next four years for deaf sport and deaf athletes – a considerably smaller sum than the money given to athletes competing in the Olympics and Paralympics.
Although deaf athletes won’t be competing in the Paralympics in Paris, Channel 4 – who have the broadcast rights to the tournament in the UK – has still included deaf celebrities as part of its on-screen talent, with ex-rugby player and Gladiators star Jodie Ounsley reporting on the games and Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis making her presenting debut on the channel alongside veteran broadcaster Claire Balding.
Commenting on her involvement in the channel’s coverage, Ayling-Ellis said: “I really wanted to be involved in the Paralympics because I think it’s really exciting to have a deaf person presenting a live TV show. That is another perception to break people’s barriers of understanding what we can do, and that is the whole point of the Paralympics.
“It is really exciting that I am the first deaf person to host a live sports TV show. People seem to think that hosting a show is also to do with hearing, but now I’m here to prove that doesn’t have to be.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Channel 4 has confirmed it will not “shy away” from addressing the lack of events for deaf people at the Paralympics during its coverage.
They said: “We are incredibly proud Rose is part of our presenting line-up and will play a key role in our coverage of one of the biggest global sporting events.
“We are well aware there are no events for deaf people at the Paralympic Games and we are not going to shy away from this. We will tackle this issue head on and discuss it during our Paralympics coverage, exploring what implications it has for people who are hard of hearing or deaf.
“We hope Rose’s role as a presenter of our Paralympics coverage will help raise awareness of the issues facing deaf people and people who have hearing loss to the wider public.”
In a statement to indy100, the British Deaf Association said it “proudly supports our Deaf sports players and athletes, whether they are engaging for fun or competing at the highest level”.
A spokesperson said: “In principle, the playing field should be level for all: that’s the foundation of fairness in the Olympics and Paralympics. Yet in the United Kingdom, Deaf sports participants continue to be marginalised.
“Sport is beneficial to individuals in terms of physical and mental health. In the Deaf world, it has also been at the heart of community cohesion and collective well being for generations.
“The British Sign Language Act of 2022 and its 2015 predecessor in Scotland were designed to promote our language and enable Deaf people to enjoy full inclusion in society. Deaf people can contribute to all areas of UK public life, including by bringing our sporting skills to the fore – but only when we are given the same respect and support as others.”
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) previously told the BBC’s deaf magazine programme See Hear that Sport England has “committed £1.2 million to boost d/Deaf sport at the grassroots level”, however Deaflympics GB Chef de Mission Chris Beech pointed out to presenters Yvonne Cobb and Julian Peedle-Calloo that the money does not go towards supporting “emerging, elite or professional level athletes”.
A DCMS spokesperson also said in a statement to the BBC show that the government “is dedicated to making sport in this country accessible and inclusive for everyone, including d/Deaf people” – however, such a comment was issued under Conservative prime minister Rishi Sunak’s administration.
It is not known what the new Labour government’s stance is on the issue.
UKDS has been approached for further comment.
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