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About the Deaflympic Games

Founded in 1924 by Eugène Rubens-Alcais and Antoine Dresse due to the lack of sporting opportunities for Deaf and Hard of Hearing athletes, the Deaflympics (then known as the International Silent Games) was conceived as an international competition between elite Deaf and Hard of Hearing athletes. Today it remains the most prestigious competition among athletes with a hearing loss of greater than 55dB in the better ear.

 

The Deaflympics are sanctioned by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), whose constitution mandates that National Deaf Sports Federations shall be governed by boards in which its president and the majority of its members are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. The ICSD Congress meets every two years. 

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The International Olympic Committee formally recognized the ICSD as an “International Federation with Olympic Standing” in 1955 and recognized the term “Deaflympics” in 2001. Today, the Deaflympics is the second oldest Olympic-type competition in the world, next only to the Olympics. Numerous Deaflympians have also competed in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

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Upcoming Games
 

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6th Pan-American Games

Canonas, Brazil

10-17 November 2024

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20th Winter Deaflympics

Erzurum, Turkiye

2-12 March 2024

25th Summer Deaflympics

Tokyo, Japan

15-26 November 2025

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21st Winter Deaflympics

TBD

2027

Deaflympics Host Cities

Los Angeles, 1984

Stockholm, 1938

Helsinki, 1961

Copenhagen, 1949, 1997

Malmo, 1973

London, 1935

Washington, D.C., 1965

Paris, 1924

Milan, 1957

Rome, 2001

Samsun, 2017

Bucharest, 1977

Sofia, 1993, 2013

Nurnberg, 1931

Koln, 1981

Amsterdam, 1928

Brussels, 1953

Belgrade, 1969

Tokyo, 2025

Taipei, 2009

Caxias do Sul, 2022

Melbourne, 2005

Christchurch, 1989

Yllas, 1995

Are, 1973

Sundsvall, 2003

Oslo, 1953, 1987

Khanty-Mansiysk, 2015

Banff, 1991

Salt Lake, 2007

Madonna di Campiglio, 1983

Lake Placid, 1975

Meribel, 1979

Montana-Vermala, 1959

Adelboden, 1971

Davos, 1999

Valtellina-Valchiavenna, 2019

Erzurum, 2024

Davos, 1999

Berchtesgaden, 1967

Oberammergau, 1955

Seefeld, 1949

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Deaflympians

We are currently in the process of updating the Deaflympics database for an enhanced experience.

In the meantime, please check out our current database here. 

Past Games

Paris
Amsterdam
Nurnberg
London
Stockholm
Copenhagen
Brussels

Milan

Helsinki

Washington, D.C.

Belgrade

Malmö

Bucharest

Köln

Los Angeles

Christchurch

Sofia

Copenhagen

Rome

Melbourne

Taipei

Sof
ia

Samsun

Caxias do Sul

Tokyo

First United States delegation

Seefeld
Oslo
Oberammergau

Montana-Vermala

Åre

Berchtesgaden

Adelboden

Lake Placid

Méribel

Madonna di Campiglio

Oslo

Banff

Ylläs

Davos

Sundsvall

Salt Lake

Vysoké Tatry (cancelled)

Khanty-Mansiy
sk


Valtellina-Valchiavenna


Erzurum

First female American athlete in the Winter Games (Tammy Marinchuk)

First (and only) Games held north of the Arctic Circle

Coronavirus outbreak occurred one week following the Games

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