Deaflympics

The Deaflympics (previously called World Games for the Deaf, and International Games for the Deaf) are an IOC-sanctioned event at which Deaf athletes compete at an elite level.

The Deaflympics are held every 4 years, and are the longest running multi-sport event excluding the Olympics themselves. The first games, held in Paris in 1924, were also the first ever international sporting event for athletes with a disability. The event has been held every four years since, apart from a break for World War II, and an additional event, the Deaflympic Winter Games, was added in 1949. At the first Games in Paris, 145 athletes from nine European nations took part. In 2005 the 20th Games were held in Melbourne, Australia, and according to the Deaflympics website, "more than 3,000 deaf athletes and officials from 75 nations" participated.

To qualify for the games, athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 db in their "better ear". Hearing aids, cochlear implants and the like are not allowed to be used in competition, to place all athletes on the same level. Other examples of ways the games vary from hearing competitions are the manner in which they are officiated. The football referees wave a flag instead of blowing a whistle. On the track, races are started by using a light flash, instead of a starter pistol.

The games have been organised by the Comité International des Sports des Sourds (CISS, "The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf") since the first event.

Names of the Games
Officially, the games were originally called the "International Games for the Deaf" from 1924 to 1965, but were sometimes referred to as the "International Silent Games". From 1966 to 1999 they were called the "World Games for the Deaf", and occasionally referred to as the "World Silent Games". From 2000, the games have been known by their current name "Deaflympics" (often mistakenly called the "Deaf Olympics").

Future Games
21st Summer Games, 2009 - Taipei, Chinese Taipei 17th Winter Games, 2011 - High Tatras, Slovakia 22nd Summer Games, 2013 - Athens, Greece

Summer Games
1st Summer Games, 1924 - Paris, France 2nd Summer Games, 1928 - Amsterdam, Netherlands 3rd Summer Games, 1931 - Nuremberg, West Germany 4th Summer Games, 1935 - London, England 5th Summer Games, 1939 - Stockholm, Sweden 6th Summer Games, 1949 - Copenhagen, Denmark 7th Summer Games, 1953 - Brussels, Belgium 8th Summer Games, 1957 - Milan, Italy 9th Summer Games, 1961 - Helsinki, Finland 10th Summer Games, 1965 - Washington, USA 11th Summer Games, 1969 - Belgrade, Yugoslavia 12th Summer Games, 1973 - Malmö, Sweden 13th Summer Games, 1977 - Bucharest, Romania 14th Summer Games, 1981 - Cologne, West Germany 15th Summer Games, 1985 - Los Angeles, USA 16th Summer Games, 1989 - Christchurch, New Zealand 17th Summer Games, 1993 - Sofia, Bulgaria 18th Summer Games, 1997 - Copenhagen, Denmark 19th Summer Games, 2001 - Rome, Italy 20th Summer Games, 2005 - Melbourne, Australia
 * No games were held between 1940-1948 due to World War II

Winter Games
1st Winter Games, 1949 - Seefeld, Austria 2nd Winter Games, 1953 - Oslo, Norway 3rd Winter Games, 1955 - Oberammergau, West Germany 4th Winter Games, 1959 - Montana-Vermala, Switzerland 5th Winter Games, 1963 - Are, Sweden 6th Winter Games, 1967 - Berchtesgaden, Germany 7th Winter Games, 1971 - Adelboden, Switzerland 8th Winter Games, 1975 - Lake Placid, New York, USA 9th Winter Games, 1979 - Meribel, France 10th Winter Games, 1983 - Madonna di Campiglio, Italy 11th Winter Games, 1987 - Oslo, Norway 12th Winter Games, 1991 - Banff, Canada 13th Winter Games, 1995 - Ylläs, Finland 14th Winter Games, 1999 - Davos, Switzerland 15th Winter Games, 2003 - Sundsvall, Sweden 16th Winter Games, 2007 - Salt Lake City, Utah, USA