Written 0900 JST 16th Nov. 2025

A week in, and here’s the truth: the athletes are competing; the headlines aren’t.

Across five days of the 2025 Summer Deaflympics in Tokyo, we’ve watched proud squads, historic centenary stories, and digital streaming hints – but seen almost no major network spotlight.

Teams from India and South Africa told their stories. Japan, as host city, backed sign language, tech and Deaf culture. Local newspapers, specialist media and regional outlets lit up. But the big broadcasters? They’re still warming up. They’re running features, not live sport. They’re watching from the sidelines, not in the arena.

That’s the gap we’re here to call out. It’s not about counting page-views or “good news pieces.” It’s about whether Deaf sport gets equal airtime. It isn’t yet.

So as we head into the heart of the Games next week, we’ll ask: If an athlete breaks a record, will the world know? If a team wins gold, will their country’s screens show them? If a young Deaf athlete makes her debut — will it matter to the sports narrative?

If the answers keep being “no,” then our job, our spotlight, our voice matters more than ever.

Media access to the Deaflympics is available here

Live coverage on You Tube

Official Deaflympics 2025 website