Report from Vice President - World Sports
As you know, we had big problems with the Slovak Deaflympics Committee (SDC). In January 2010 the ICSD Executive Committee and 5 ICSD Winter Technical Directors, were in Slovakia for the site inspection. We were really dismayed with the lack of preparation and development of the SDC's work. Therefore, we had to give the SDC the red card so the 17th Winter Deaflympics would be cancelled.
Then ICSD started a search for another place and found one, which unfortunately was withdrawn not long ago. We were heavily disappointed because we, the ICSD Board definitely want to carry out the Games. We always keep in mind about our dedicated athletes and the willing federations that invest a great deal of energy and money. They embrace the Deaf Sport with passion and dreams. So we, the ICSD Board, discussed intensively and came to the end with a decision to give Slovakia a second chance.
There was another site inspection for the 17th Winter Deaflympics in Slovakia. Mr. Dwight Benedict, a newly-appointed ICSD Member at Large, and I have examined detailed and carefully to decide if the Games were really manageable. Dwight and I forwarded the report of the 2nd site inspection to the ICSD Board with the recommendation that the 17th Winter Deaflympics be held in Slovakia under strong recommendation that ICSD closely monitor the progress of the OC. The ICSD Board then gave the go-ahead to our popular Winter Deaflympics.
Now the SDC Organizing Committee have to prove that they are able to work strongly and let the Games take place successfully. To ensure success, we need great support and cooperation from all Deaf Sport Federations of the world. Let's do it! Go to the 17th Winter Deaflympics in Slovakia!
Deaf Sport Reform Seminar in München on 22-25 July 2010
The DSR Seminar was carried out in the Deaf Centre of the Deaf Association in München ('Gehörlosenverband München und Umland', GMU). The GMU was very generous in providing us with the rooms in the Deaf Centre for free. The GMU deserves a big thank you from us.
The Deaf Sport Reform (DSR) Team consists of three groups-1) Deaflympics, 2) World Sport and 3) Youth. Each group consists of three persons plus one ICSD EC Member.
The leader for the Deaflympics Group is Craig Crowley, our ICSD President and the three people working with him are Brent Philips (Australia), Reed Gershwind (United States) and Isabelle Malaurie (France, absent from the seminar).
The leader for the World Sport Group is ICSD Vice President for World Sport Josef Willmerdinger, and the three people cooperating with him are Jack Lamberton (United States), Thomas Eller (Germany) and Fatima de Sosa (Venezuela, also absent from the seminar).
The leader for the Youth Group is Vice President for Youth David Lanesman. The three persons working with him are Siv Fosshaug (Norway), Horst-Peter Scheffel (Germany) and Dmitry Rebrov (Russian Federation, also absent from the seminar).
The Chief Executive Officer Tiffany Granfors and the Technical Operations Manager Wayne Langbein also assisted.
The Deaf Sport Reform Process will last until 2013. We will create a modern system and new structures for our Deaf Sport World with the aim to keep competitions alive everywhere. We will present this important report in Slovakia and we hope that you will continue to support this reform.
ICSD Technical Director
There is good news on finding an ICSD Technical Director for Taekwondo. It is Jung-bae Park from Korea who has great leadership qualities. He proved that several times, for example, at the Taekwondo World Championships in Toulouse 2008 and at the Summer Deaflympics 2009 in Taipei. We are happy to have him in our ICSD family. Thanks to Jung-bae Park and to the Korean Deaf Sport Federation for their willingness and readiness to support us.
We still are on search for the vacant position of ICSD Technical Director for Karate and Volleyball.
We found a person for Karate but cannot confirm until everything is formally finalized.
I am sure that this will be announced in our next E-News.
We have to wait for the Volleyball TD. There have been some written and verbal applications from prospective candidates. We will review them efficiently.
Josef WILLMERDINGER
ICSD Vice President - World Sports