Clubhouse Home > History
NEW - Pioneers in Leadership of Deaf Sports (added 10/2/06)
Timeline
The timeline below shows how the International Silent Games became the Deaflympics. Note that the number of participating countries has grown from 10 countries in 1924 to 75 countries in 2005.
1896
The Olympics are held in Athens, Greece. It is the first Olympics since 393 BCE when the Roman Emperor banned the Olympic Games. The athletes are all men. They come from 14 countries. The Greeks win most of the medals. The Americans come in second.
1924
The first international competition for deaf people is held. Deaf athletes come to Paris, France from 10 European countries. The organizers call the event the International Silent Games and they establish the Comité International des Sports Silencieux (CISS) in French and the International Committee of Silent Sports (ICSS) in English.
1949
The first International Winter Games for the Deaf, the competition that became Winter Deaflympics, are held in Austria. Thirty-three athletes from five nations take part.
1955
CISS is recognized as an "International Federation with Olympic Standing" by the International Olympic Committee.
1965
For the first time, the International Silent Games are held outside Europe --in Washington, D.C., USA.
1967
CISS renamed the International Silent Games the World Silent Games to show the world-wide participation of deaf athletes. The World Silent Games were also called the World Games for the Deaf and eventually the Deaf World Games.
2001
The International Olympic Committee officially agreed to recognize the renaming. The Deaf World Games became the Deaflympics.
2005
More than 2,300 deaf athletes from 75 nations take part in the 20th Summer Deaflympics in Melbourne, Australia.
2006
94 national deaf sports federations are members of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf.
2007
Approximately 600 deaf athletes from 22 nations are expected to qualify for the 16th Winter Deaflympics to be hosted by Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States.