Yet despite the wins, the global sports pages remain strangely quiet. The athletes are in motion. The record boards are ticking. The cameras? Still mostly pointing elsewhere.
If the Deaflympic movement has one job, it was to show the world they matter. Right now, they’re doing the work. The question: will the world show up?
Bravo to the organising Committee for livestreaming, here’s the highlights for 19th November
I can help you set up automatic posting to Facebook! You’ll need a Facebook Page (not a personal profile) to connect with your WordPress.com site. Go to Jetpack → Social in your dashboard and click “Connect an account”, then choose Facebook and follow the prompts to connect your Page. Want me to walk you through what happens next?
Perfect! After you connect your Facebook Page, every new blog post you publish will automatically share to Facebook. But you can customize this for each post – when writing a post, click the green Jetpack icon at the top-right and you can toggle sharing on/off, choose which networks to share to, or add a custom message. Ready to try connecting your Facebook Page?
Got it! Let’s troubleshoot this. First, can you check if your Facebook connection is still active? Go to Jetpack → Social and see if your Facebook account shows as connected or if there’s a “Reconnect” button. Also, when you publish a post, do you see the sharing options in the Jetpack panel on the right side of the editor?
That’s frustrating! Let’s check the sharing settings for your posts. When you edit one of your recent posts, look for the Jetpack social sharing panel on the right side – does it show Facebook as enabled for that specific post? Also, are you publishing to a Facebook Page or trying to share to a personal Facebook profile? WordPress.com can only share to Pages, not personal profiles.
Let me help figure this out! Try disconnecting and reconnecting your Facebook Page – go to Jetpack → Social, click the three dots next to your Facebook connection, and select “Disconnect”. Then reconnect it fresh. Sometimes Facebook changes their permissions and a fresh connection fixes the issue. Want to try that and see if your next test post shares properly?
A gold medal landed yesterday. It should have lit up the sports world. Instead, it flickered in the margins.
Indian shooter Dhanush Srikanth claimed gold in the men’s 10 m air rifle at the Tokyo Deaflympics and broke a world record in the process. (The Times of India) Yet the global headlines barely moved.
Dhanush Srikanth won gold and broke a world record in the Men’s shooting
In Japan, a local Japanese-language outlet ran a tech/inclusion piece on the Games and the host city’s accessibility strategy — accessible to those digging through Japanese livestreams, but easy for global sports desks to ignore.
And in Latin America, a Spanish-language website celebrated the arrival of the Games with local athletes boarding flights, yet still no major live result coverage.
The UK media ran a strong piece on the funding gap facing Deaflympians, reminding the world that while medals are won recognition is still waiting.
The athletes are winning. The stories are there. But the broadcast and mainstream media radar? Still silent.
The question stands: when record-breaking performances happen, will they get the spotlight they deserve — or will they remain hidden in niche feeds?
The Games are underway — but you’d hardly know it from the world’s sports desks.
Today should have been the moment the headlines shifted from warm-up stories to actual competition: goals scored, medals won, shocks, heroics, heartbreak. Instead? Silence. And not the Deaf kind. The media kind.
Yes, the results exist. They’re sitting quietly on the official Tokyo 2025 website. They’re in federation match reports — like the USA Deaf Women smashing Japan 5–0, or the Ukrainian men putting five past the US team. They’re hidden in Japanese corporate updates and athlete sponsor pages. The wrestling brackets are fully up. The schedules are live. The data is there.
Japan Today reported on members of the imperial family in attendance at the Opening Ceremony. (Image: POOL via ZUMA press Wire)
But where are the stories?
Where is the mainstream “Day 1 at the Deaflympics”? Where is the BBC Sport medal table ticker? Where is the ESPN highlight reel? Where is even one big newsroom saying “Here’s what happened today”?
This is the pattern we’re exposing: if a Deaf athlete wins, you have to dig through official PDFs and federation pages to find out. The world’s sports media aren’t telling the story. Not yet. Media access information
And that’s exactly why we’re watching. Exactly why we’re documenting this gap. Exactly why we’re doing this work.
Because the athletes are competing. The results are happening. The moments are real. The coverage should be too.
Real sport with real results, ignored by real newsrooms.
Despite a century of excellence, Deaflympic athletes are still forced to self-fund their participation. It’s time for change.
The Deaflympics Deserve Full Funding and Recognition
The Deaflympics is a world-class sporting event, yet its athletes are forced to self-fund their journey to compete at the highest level. Chris Ratcliffe, CEO of UK Deaf Sport, has highlighted this critical issue in his interview with Matt Taylor for BBC News in the article titled ‘We have to fund the Deaflympics ourselves’, and it is time for the sporting community, corporate sponsors, and government bodies to step up and provide the necessary support. Ratcliffe has been working tirelessly to raise awareness of this issue, and last month, BBC’s Matt Taylor caught up with him to discuss the urgent need for funding and recognition.
Chris Ratcliffe, CEO, UK Deaf Sport “We have to fund the Deaflympics Ourselves”
As Matt Taylor reported in his BBC News article, for 100 years, the Deaflympics has provided elite deaf athletes with a platform to compete on a level playing field. Established in 1924, it was the first international sporting event for athletes with disabilities, predating the Paralympics by nearly four decades. Despite this rich history, it remains one of the least recognized global sporting competitions. While Olympic and Paralympic athletes receive direct financial support, their Deaflympic counterparts must raise an estimated £4,000 each to represent Great Britain at the upcoming Tokyo games.
This financial burden places deaf athletes at a significant disadvantage. Many are in full-time education or employment while training at an elite level. The additional stress of securing funding detracts from their preparation and undermines their potential to compete at their best.
The Government’s Role in Funding Equity
The UK government, through Sport England, has provided £1.27 million in funding for UK Deaf Sport until 2027. While this is an important step in supporting grassroots initiatives, it does not directly address the financial struggles of athletes preparing for the Deaflympics. As highlighted in Taylor’s article, the exclusion of Deaflympic athletes from UK Sport funding—reserved for Olympic and Paralympic competitors—suggests a misunderstanding of the event’s elite status and its importance to the deaf community.
The time has come for UK Sport and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to recognize the Deaflympics as an elite-level competition worthy of direct funding. Elite deaf athletes deserve the same financial backing as their Olympic and Paralympic counterparts. This is not just about funding; it is about equality, representation, and the value we place on all athletes, regardless of how they communicate.
Breaking Barriers and Inspiring the Next Generation
Beyond competition, the Deaflympics serves as a vital tool in breaking down barriers for young deaf athletes. As Ratcliffe noted in Taylor’s piece, studies show that deaf children are twice as likely to be inactive compared to their hearing peers. The lack of visibility and investment in deaf sports contributes to this disparity. If we want to create a truly inclusive sporting culture, funding the Deaflympics must be a priority.
UK Deaf Sport’s Destination Deaflympics campaign is a promising initiative to increase awareness, but awareness alone is not enough. If we want young deaf athletes to see the Deaflympics as a viable goal, we must remove financial obstacles. One way to do this is through corporate sponsorships, media partnerships, and a dedicated government-backed funding stream that ensures no athlete is forced to fund their own participation in an event of this magnitude.
UK Deaf Sports Youth engagement programme
A Call to Action
The Deaflympics embodies the very essence of sport: perseverance, excellence, and inclusivity. Yet, as Taylor’s article makes clear, its athletes continue to be sidelined in the funding conversation. It is time for change.
Government bodies must formally recognize the Deaflympics as an elite event and provide direct financial support.
Corporate sponsors should step up and back our elite deaf athletes, just as they do for Olympians and Paralympians.
The media must give the Deaflympics the attention it deserves, ensuring wider public awareness and engagement.
The Deaflympics should not be an event where only those who can afford it get to compete. Every athlete representing Great Britain on the world stage should do so knowing that their country stands behind them—financially, institutionally, and culturally.
It’s time to fund the Deaflympics properly. Anything less is a failure of our commitment to true sporting equality.
As Great Britain and other nations prepare for the 2025 Summer Deaflympics in Tokyo in 306 days time, several challenges emerge, particularly when compared to nations that provide robust governmental recognition and funding for their deaf athletes.
Funding Disparities
In the UK, elite deaf athletes often receive less financial support than their counterparts in the Olympics and Paralympics. This lack of elite funding hinders their access to top-tier training facilities, coaching, and competition opportunities, potentially affecting performance levels. In contrast, countries with substantial government backing can offer their athletes comprehensive support, leading to a more conducive environment for success. Chris Ratcliffe, CEO of UK Deaf Sport explains to the BBC why “We have to fund the Deaflympics Ourselves”
Recognition and Awareness
The Deaflympics historically receive less media coverage and public attention in Great Britain compared to the Olympics and Paralympics. This limited visibility results in fewer sponsorship opportunities and a lack of public support, which are crucial for athlete development and morale. Nations that actively promote deaf sports and celebrate their athletes’ achievements tend to foster a more inclusive sporting culture.
Access to Training Facilities
Deaf athletes in the UK face challenges in accessing training facilities equipped to meet their specific needs. This includes the availability of sign language interpreters and coaches trained to work with deaf athletes. Without adequate facilities and support, athletes may struggle to reach their full potential. In contrast, countries with dedicated resources for deaf athletes can provide tailored training environments that enhance performance. It has been argued that there is coaching talent and experience within the Deaf sports community, that would provide the coaching and technical support required which then reduces the need for expensive interpreting and the deployment of coaches who may be highly qualified but lack the communication skills and cultural essence needed to lead in elite sport.
International Competition Experience
Limited funding and support can restrict opportunities for British deaf athletes to compete internationally, which is vital for gaining experience and improving performance. Regular exposure to international competitions allows athletes to benchmark against top competitors and adapt to different competitive environments. Countries that invest in sending their athletes to international events provide them with invaluable experience that can be advantageous during the Deaflympics.
Advocacy and Policy Support
The level of advocacy and policy support for deaf athletes varies between countries. In the UK, the #FairPlayforDeafAthletes campaign is advocating stronger policies form the Department of Culture, media and Sport that will ensure equal opportunities and support for deaf athletes. The UK may argue that the current economic climate makes it very difficult to provide such funding but this will not stand up against the commitments made by countries such as Ukraine whose resources are also engaged in the heroic defence of their territory in war with Russia.
Addressing these challenges requires a concerted effort from sports governing bodies, policymakers, and the community to ensure that British deaf athletes are adequately supported and prepared to compete on an equal footing with their international counterparts at the 2025 Summer Deaflympics in Tokyo.
The Ukraine Ministry of Youth and Sport continues to recognise Deaf athletes alongside their Olympic and Paralympic peers.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to inclusivity in sports by officially recognizing Deaflympians as equals to their Olympic and Paralympic peers. This significant milestone was solidified through Order No. 7742, signed on December 23, 2024, which introduces updated criteria for identifying key enterprises and organizations crucial to the national economy within the field of sports during special periods.
A Milestone in Sports Equality
Under the new directive, the Ministry has explicitly included the development and support of the Deaflympic movement alongside Olympic and Paralympic initiatives. This move ensures that Deaf athletes receive the same level of backing in training, competition, and resource allocation, reinforcing Ukraine’s position as a leader in sports inclusivity.
Key aspects of the approved criteria include:
Supporting the development of physical culture and both Olympic and non-Olympic sports in Ukraine.
Guaranteeing the execution of events listed in the Unified Calendar of Physical Culture, Sports Events, and Competitions.
Providing comprehensive training for national team athletes in sports officially recognized in Ukraine.
Implementing anti-doping measures across all sports activities.
Organizing and facilitating nationwide physical culture and sports rehabilitation programs for individuals with disabilities, military personnel, and ensuring the operational efficiency of Paralympic and Deaflympic training bases.
Logo of Ukraine Deaf Sport
Advancing Inclusivity in Sports
This landmark decision demonstrates Ukraine’s dedication to fostering an environment where Deaf athletes have equitable opportunities to excel and represent their nation on the world stage. By embedding Deaflympic support into national sports policies, the Ministry is not only investing in athletic excellence but also championing the rights and recognition of athletes with hearing impairments.
As global conversations around inclusivity in sports continue to evolve, Ukraine’s progressive stance serves as a model for other nations striving to create truly inclusive sports environments. This announcement marks a proud moment for the Ukrainian sports community and a promising future for Deaf athletes nationwide.
We celebrate this vital step towards equal recognition and look forward to witnessing Ukraine’s Deaflympians continue to thrive and inspire.
“Amidst election preparations, the #FairPlayforDeafAthletes campaign highlights the need for equitable funding, showing significant backing from the British Sign Language community.”
Over the past 6 months there has been an online petition to change the UK government policy to fund Deaflympic athletes that garnered 8,333 signatures, which fell short of the 10,000 needed for a government response and the 100,000 required for a parliamentary debate. This petition closed on the 20th May deadline this week.
Let’s consider the merits of this petition using percentages to better illustrate the support within the context of the UK population and the British Sign Language (BSL) community:
UK Deaf Sport’s delegation to the Sports Minister 13th May 2024
Proportional Representation and Advocacy
1. Population Context:
– The UK has a population of approximately 60 million people. Within this population, around 175,000 individuals are sign language users ranging from those who use it as their first language and others who have required it by learning the language and being exposed to and involved in Deaf community activities such as Deaf sport. This group includes deaf, hard of hearing and hearing individuals.
– The 8,333 signatures represent about 0.014% of the total UK population. This may seem like a small percentage, but it’s more significant when viewed within the context of the BSL community.
– Within the BSL community, 8,333 signatures equate to roughly 4.8%. This demonstrates a strong level of support and engagement from the BSL community itself.
2. Awareness and Mobilization:
– The campaign successfully mobilized nearly 5% of the BSL community, indicating a high level of concern and commitment to the issue within this group.
– However, to reach the thresholds set for government responses or parliamentary debates, the campaign needs to extend its reach beyond the immediate community to garner broader public support.
3. Legitimacy of the Petition:
– Despite not meeting the required thresholds, the petition shows substantial support from a dedicated community, highlighting the legitimacy and urgency of the issue.
– The 10,000 and 100,000 thresholds are 0.0167% and 0.167% respectively of the UK population
– The 8,333 signatures are 4.8% of the UK’s BSL community.
– This level of support within a specific community suggests the issue deserves attention and should not be dismissed due to the overall percentage being small in the context of the entire UK population.
Map from the petition website showing signatures represented EVERY constituency of the UK except one. The darker shading showing signatures with higher % of each area.
Implications of the Government Shutdown for the General Election due on 4th July 2024
1. Impact on Current Advocacy:
– With the government shutdown for the General Election campaign, parliamentary activities will be paused, delaying any immediate action on the petition.
– This period can be challenging for advocacy efforts as the focus shifts to election campaigns.
2. Strategic Opportunities:
– The election period presents an opportunity to engage with MPs and candidates, pressing them to include support for Deaflympic funding in their election platforms.
– This can be a strategic moment to bring the issue to the forefront and secure commitments from candidates.
– Increase the visibility of the campaign through media outreach, collaborations with other advocacy groups, and public demonstrations.
– Share personal stories of Deaflympic athletes and the impacts of funding shortages to garner public sympathy and support.
3. Future Petitions and Partnerships:
– Consider launching another petition after the election, with strategies to surpass the required thresholds.
– Partner with broader disability and sports organizations to expand the support base and increase reach for future petitions.
4. Direct Engagement with Elected Officials:
– After the election, engage directly with newly elected MPs to advocate for policy changes and secure their commitment to supporting Deaflympic athletes.
– Identify supportive MPs who can champion the cause within Parliament and help drive policy changes.
Signing Off
While the petition did not meet the required signatures, it demonstrated strong support within the BSL community, representing nearly 5% of this group.
The upcoming election provides a critical opportunity to push the #FairPlayforDeafAthletes agenda by engaging with candidates and raising public awareness.
By leveraging this period strategically and building broader alliances, the campaign can continue to advocate for equitable funding for Deaflympic athletes.
Two Big Ears, will be keeping up to date on the progress of the Profoundly Deaf European U23 silver medallist hammer thrower, Charlotte Payne, who debuts at this week’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
Charlotte, from Reading, UK, is 21 years old who, last year, became the British Champion for the first time in the Women’s Hammer with a throw of 70.59m as she also became the youngest British woman to throw over 70m.
Charlotte missed out on last years Commonwealth Games as she failed to qualify, (she broke the British record after the qualifying date). Anna Purchase, went on to represent England at the games and joins Charlotte in Budapest this week. Anna and Charlotte are chasing the 74.54m record set by Sophie Hitchon at the Rio Olympics in 2016, who has since retired from the sport. ‘We are coming into a golden age of hammer’ they told the BBC.
We are not expecting Charlotte to win a medal in Budapest as the event is currently dominated by the North Americans, led by 27- year-old, Brooke Anderson who is only the 3rd person who has thrown over 80m in this event.
Ranked 30th in the world with a best throw of 72.51 this summer, Charlotte is one of the four youngest competitors at this years event including Silja Kosonen (FIN) the European U23 Champion (ranked 8th). The others are Jie Zhao (CHN) 18th and Rose Loga (FRA) 19th. Charlotte has shown that she can compete with the best as she came second to Kosonen and beat Loga by 1.26m at the European U23 championships this year.
The event starts on Wednesday 23rd August with two qualifying groups at 19:00 and 20:35. The final will be held the next day 24th August at 20:26.
If you are watching from the UK we might be able to catch up with the event on the BBC between 19:00 – 21:00. If you like outside the UK, you an find your TV viewing times at where to watch
Payne told the BBC “I hope that I can offer some sort of inspiration for other deaf athletes coming through”.
If you know of any other deaf athletes competing in Budapest this week, please let us know so that we can cover them in our reporting.
I have been eagerly anticipating the release of a new documentary “Does Deaf Football Have a Future?” because it is the first time in a while that a programme about Deaf sport was being made in the UK where I had no involvement or insight. I wanted to compare this documentary with my analysis and perspective of the way in which media promotes the Deaflympic Movement and Deaf sport.
The documentary has been made at BSL Zone who support the next generation of d/Deaf filmmakers through their Zoom 2014 scheme aimed at d/Deaf scriptwriters and directors who have some experience but have never had their work broadcast on television. This is Thomas Giddens first ever attempt at documentary filmmaking where he explores ideas about the future of Deaf football. The film is now available online.
There are an infinite number of ways to analyse a subject and in Same Spirit Different Team I highlight the important of how the media representation of sport shapes and informs public attitudes to disability sport. Journalists have the power to inform or not to inform and they construct reality from their particular perspectives. I was looking forward to finding out how far Giddens would take his responsibility of wielding power to inform us about the future of Deaf football.
Without giving too much away; I recommend that you watch this enjoyable and well-made documentary as I think it gives people a broad perspective of Giddens potential as a documentary maker. This debuting director was limited to 15 minutes of airtime and I think he did well to;
Use old newsreels and contemporary footage, to give us an historical perspective from the experience of the current GB manager Philip Gardiner.
Advocate the current politics and philosophies about deaf football
Briefly explore the importance of role models and inclusive football
Give us all a hint into what the senior management at GB Deaf Football believes needs to be done in the future
Exposure to mass media plays a significant role in reinforcing existing norms and attitudes that might serve to change public attitudes. Family and peer opinions can be strong, but these too are mass media influenced. Journalists have the power to inform or not inform and they construct reality form their particular perspectives.
I hope this experience has inspired Giddens to continue making sports documentaries because the more coverage we have of the Deaflympics and Deaf sport, the more information we have to share with the public and society to increase exposure and encourage debate and discussion.
Whatever coverage is realised, it does influence attitudes towards the Deaflympics brand; and so it is important that national federations like UK Deaf Sport and their IOC representative the International Committee of Sport for the deaf (ICSD) interacts with the media as much as it possibly can; to present a positive and attractive brand to future athletes, target audiences, corporate supporters and others who are essential to the sustainability of Deaf sport.
The Zoom film scheme is designed to support the next generation of d/Deaf filmmakers. Included five days training, mentorship, script development, production and communication support. Find out more by logging into the BSL Zone.
Two Big Ears 