The Summer Games of Sport organised by the All-Russian Sports Federation of the Deaf has sparked an international debate in the Deaf sports community this summer, with the ICSD Executive Director appearing to be defying warnings from the ICSD.

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the ICSD took action, and on:

5 March 2022 ICSD banned Russian and Belarussian athletes from competing in ICSD sanctioned events, including those organised by affiliated IDSFs (basketball, chess, football and golf) and the four regional confederations (Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Pan-America)

21 March 2023 When it became known that the Summer Deaf Games, We are Together was being organised by ICSD Executive Director Dimitry Rebrov, Russia was warned by ICSD not to use the name Deaflympics, nor the Deaflympic logo. ICSD also refused to support the event or recognise it as part of the Deaflympic Movement.

July – August 2023 Despite these warnings Rebrov went ahead an allowed the OSFSG website to promote the event as Summer Games of the Deaflympics in all of its news reports including a welcome address from Mr. Putin himself.

Most of the world was expecting a games for banned athletes and they were surprised and alarmed when Rebrov claimed that 1,500 athletes from 30 nations were taking part. Including one athlete from the USA.

Kenyan athletes were seen wearing the Deaflympics logo on their competition clothing.

30 July2023 – ICSD President Kosa went on social media to say:

1. We told Rebrov, our Executive Director, not to use the Deaflympics logo and name
2. We have been ‘monitoring’ the situation and Rebrov, is not conducting any ICSD business, during the period of the Russian games.
3. OSFSG is not a member of ICSD so we cannot stop them.
4. This is a Russian thing: They organised a Paralympics event in Autumn 2022 and early Summer 2023 and an Olympic event of BRICS nations will be going ahead in 2024.
5. ICSD will follow the IOC on decisions about Russia and Belarus.

1 August 2023 – OSFSG website and social media reported: The head of the Asia-Pacific Confederation for the Sports for the Deaf, Mohammed Pargar, in his speech in international sign language, emhasised the unifying role of sports designed to improve the world, and, as his own initiative, invited the national teams of Russia and Belarus to participate in sports competitions in the Asia-Pacific region.

3 August 2023: The ICSD website published a statement with Pargar denying that he was representing Asia-Pacific and that he did not make any such invitation.

All the activities we have mentioned suggest that there might be an internal battle of wits between Rebrov and Kosa.