Monthly Archives: August 2021

ICSD Congress and Summer Deaflympics Confusion

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The two camps of the ICSD Board have now issued conflicting dates and venues for the ICSD Congress and Summer Deaflympics.

from needpix.com

The Original ICSD Board (Lamberton, Adam, Grigoryan, Kihtir and Lusic) have announced via the Brazilian Sports Federation that the Summer Deaflympic Games will be moved to Rio de Janeiro and take place in November 2022. organisers claim that they have government backing for this and Board representatives will be meeting with local and national representatives soon.

This causes confusion as the new camp (Perazzolo, Rebrov, Pargar, Madoun, Stavrakakis, Squella) still insist that the games will be in Caxias do Sol in May 2022.

Furthermore the original Board have sent out joining papers and registration forms for the Congress to take place in Istanbul 5 – 6th November 2021.

Some countries, notably, Pan-American nations (via a chain-letter) are arguing for Congress to go ahead in Lausanne on 28 – 29th November.

This news has angered many national representatives who are now so confused that they do not know who to listen to and they are also concerned that their own national funding organisations are likely to withdraw support funds if things do not sort themselves out.

We understand that some national representatives are taking no chances and filling on both sets of forms, just to play safe.

ICSD has two ‘Boards’ claiming to be in control.

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There are two groups of people claiming to have governance control of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf.

The two groups fighting to control ICSD are:

The original board members voted in by Congress; Jack Lamberton, Rebecca Adam, Grigor Grigoryan, Yakup Kihtir and Marijo Lusic.

The breakaway group led by Dimitri Rebrov and Gustavo Perazzolo include Mohammad Pargar, Mohamed Madoun, Iosif Stavrakakis and Pedro Squella.

The breakaway group was formed after Chan resigned as ICSD president and the board’s refusal to promote Perazzolo to President.

Our understanding is that the original board attempted to fire Rebrov from his role as CEO and it appears that in retaliation, the board were blocked from access to ICSD files and their official email addresses.

It has taken some time for the board to regroup with temporary email addresses, a Facebook page and a new website.

Contrary to the assertions by ICSD Chair of Technical Committee, Bogard that the summer games will be held in Caxias do Sol and an Extraordinary Congress is Switzerland, the ICSD board have announced on their website that the games are now in the control of CBDS and with Sports Ministry approval will be hosting the games in Rio de Janerio, using the 2016 Olympic facilities. They are also searching for an alternative venue/version for the Extraordinary Congress.

Info about Rio and the sacking of Rebrov. here.

Who was the first Deaf person to swim the English Channel?

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Since completing her English Channel swim yesterday Verity Green has been contacted by many to congratulate her and some have queried if she was the first Deaf woman to swim the channel. Green has got in touch with Two Big Ears to see if we could find out.

Verity Green

During our text conversation with Green she explained that another Deaf swimmer had planned to make the swim earlier in July but had postponed her event due to lack of training. They told Green that if she completed the swim then she would be the first Deaf British woman to complete the crossing.

When researching for our book Same Spirit Different Team, we came across much information about Deaf sports people and we were able to reassure Green that as far as records show, she is the first British Deaf woman to make a solo crossing of the English Channel.

The first Deaf woman to complete the swim, also happened to be the first ever woman to do so! Gertrude Ederle (1905-2003) was an American. She swam the English Channel in 1926 at the age of 20.

Gertrude Ederle – picture Wikipedia

Before that, Ederle was the first woman to swim the length of New York Bay, aged 15 and she won three medals at the Paris Olympics.

According to pbs.org Ederle’s hearing was lost after contracting measles as a child and then in her own words the channel swim left her “Stone Deaf”. You can read more about Ederle at pbs.org and xxx

In July 2014 a team of Deaf Irish women became the first Deaf team to complete the Channel swim by taking turns to swim in relay. They completed the journey in 14 hours and 10 minutes. More info and here

Irish Women’s Swim team – picture Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation

Other successful English Channel crossings by Deaf swimmers:

July 2016 Andrew Rees is the first British Deaf man to complete the crossing solo. Info and at the BBC

Andrew Rees – picture Channel Swimming Association

August 2017 Wesley Nolan, the first Deaf Irish person to swim solo. Irish Times

Wesley Nolan – picture Irish Post

It is possible that there are other Deaf swimmers who have completed the English Channel swim solo or as team – if you have this information please share below in the comments.

We will continue this feature on swimming SOON with an interview with English Channel swimmer Verity Green who is registered dual-sensory disabled as we ask her if she has considered competing in the Paralympics.

See you all soon!

Deaf Woman Completes a Solo Swim of the English Channel

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Verity Green, 40, from Catterick Garrison UK, has become the first British Deaf woman to complete the English Channel swim solo.

Her swim began around 05:30 this morning 2nd August and finished on the coast of France 12 hours and nine minutes later.

Verity Green – source Facebook facebook.com/veritytgreen

Due to poor phone signals, all her supporters had to wait a while to get final news when she said ‘Conditions were tough! So relieved to have finished and THANK YOU SO MUCH for the amazing fundraising! It really helped me in my swim!!’

Well-wishers and supporters have raised well over her target of £4,000 for her chosen charity Hearing Dogs for the Deaf.

As a former swimmer representing Great Britain in Deaf competitions and achieving 3rd world ranking for her event she was told as a teenager that she would never be able to swim again after being diagnosed with Meniere’s Disease. Verity had to learn the basic of swimming after the disease had severely affected her balance and vision.

‘Thanks to my hearing dog Bow , my disability has become visible’

Her fundraising website is still open and accepting donations.

Verity’s swim comes 5 years and 16 days after Andrew Rees became the first Deaf man to complete the same feat. If records are correct and they will be verified later it would appear that Varity managed a faster swim being around 3 hours quicker than Rees.