Deaflympics Taipei 2009

         On September 2009 , Taipei welcomes athletes from around the world to the 21st Summer Deaflympics . The world's oldest competition for athletes with disabilities , these games showcase the incredibly talented competitors from the world's deaf community .
        Sound holds a very important place in most athletic competitions . Fans cheer , coaches shout directions and referees blow whistles to start , stop and control play .More importantly , major events like the Olympics provide participants with the chances to talk . laugh and cry with people from different cultures and countries . But unlike hearing people , deaf athletes can't rely on sounds to guide their actions and define their experiences , That's why the Deaflympics have taken on such an important role within the deaf community .
      The Deaflympics give deaf athletes a chance to participate in top-notch international athletic competition that might otherwise be closed to them . In order to avoid reliance on sound , the Games have developed unique , visually oriented forms of play . Unlike other sporting events , officials at the deaflympics discard whistles and starter pistols . Instead , play is controlled with flags , and races are started using flashes of light .
     Originally known as the International Silent Games , the Deaflympics have been around since 1924 .When they began , deaf people were broadly viewed as being intellectually inferior and were often treated as social outcasts . Almost from the outset , the Games became a means of comparing the ways in which different countries treated their deaf citizens . In this role , the Deaflympics have promoted human rights for deaf people and shown that hearing has little bearing in intelligence or potential .
     Just as importantly , the Games have been a means of inspiration for the deaf community . While other competitions for athletes with disabilities employ nondisabled officials and organizers , the Deaflympics are organized and run exclusively by deaf people . This practice allows deaf people from all walks of life to be integral parts of the competition as athletes , officials , volunteers and spectators .
   Running from Septermber 5 to 15 , the Taipei Games will feature 20 exciting sports . And with approximately 4,000 athletes representing 81 different countries , this year's Deaflympics are sure to be the focus of a lot of attention .

   


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Reference
1. Contents - Studio Classroom September 2009
2. Picture - http://cnreviews.com/life/news-issues/deaflympics-world-games-lamas-cross-strait-relations_20090905.html