India names 111-member contingent for Deaflympics in Tokyo

India has named a 111-member contingent, including 73 athletes and 38 coaches, for the upcoming Deaflympics in Tokyo from November 15 to December 26. The contingent will compete in 11 sports, making this the largest Indian team for the event

Hyderabad: India has named a 111-member contingent for the upcoming Deaflympics, scheduled to take place from November 15 to December 26 in Tokyo, Japan.

The contingent consists of 73 athletes and 38 coaches, among others. This is the largest-ever Indian contingent for the Deaflympics.

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The Union sports ministry has approved the contingent on a cost-to-government basis. India will compete in 11 disciplines – athletics, badminton, golf, judo, karate, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, wrestling, and tennis.

The Deaflympics are conducted by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD). Recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), ICSD has been operating independently since August 1924. ICSD is not associated with the International Paralympic Committee. Under the patronage of the IOC, the Deaflympics are the second-oldest international multi-sport event in the world.

ICSD currently has affiliated national sports organizations from 117 different countries. The IOC Executive Board, in its decision on May 16, 2001, renamed the World Games of the Deaf as the Deaflympics, eliminating the contradiction between the title of the Games and their status.

The first Deaflympics, originally known as the “International Silent Games”, were held in Paris in the summer of 1924. These Deaf Games have been held every four years, with breaks only during World War II.

Since 1924, the ICSD has organized 24 Summer and 18 Winter Deaflympics, with each event taking place in the year following the Olympic Games. Additionally, every four years, World Championships and Regional Championships are held in different sports. At the recent 24th Summer Deaflympics, held in Caxias do Sul, Brazil, over 2,400 athletes participated.