Countdown to Deaflympics

The opening ceremony is set to dazzle, with a famous drumming group, as well as local pop diva A-mei scheduled to perform. Noted Taiwanese theater director Stan Lai was tapped to orchestrate the ceremonies and no effort is being spared to put on a world-class show.

Taiwan won the right to the Deaflympics in first-round voting in 2003, and soon after, Taipei Stadium was torn down and rebuilt at a cost of approximately NT$3 billion. All together, Taipei expects to welcome roughly 4,000 athletes from over 80 nations to participate in a grand total of 182 sports events. Taiwan's people have responded very positively to receiving the commission to hold the games with at least 8,000 citizens volunteering to act as translators and in other capacities.

Some may wonder why deaf — or hearing-impaired — athletes require their own international sporting event. Some may even wonder if the Deaflympics are a case of political correctness gone overboard. Why, some might ask, shouldn't able-bodied deaf athletes compete in the regular Olympics?

Some deaf athletes have won medals in both the Deaflympics and the Olympics, and many deaf players have competed in regular sports, such as Major League Baseball in the U.S. In fact, many of the calls used by umpires — such as the hand gestures for “safe” and “out” — are said to have been invented by William “Dummy” Hoy, one of baseball's most notable deaf players.

But there are very valid reasons for why the hearing-impaired should have their own event.

The main issue is one of fairness in sport. Each of the deaf athletes that will take part in the Taipei games has hearing loss of at least 55 decibels in their “good ear.” No hearing aid or implant devices are allowed tov level the playing field. The difference between hearing and non-hearing basketball may not seem like much, but in reality the challenges are formidable.

Instead of whistles to indicate fouls and the like, flags or lights must be used. Players cannot yell, “I'm open!” and must use gestures for all communication. As you might imagine, constantly being on the lookout for such non-audible signals shaves valuable seconds off final times.

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