17th Winter Deaflympics
Host cityVysoké Tatry
Nations25 countries
Athletes252 athletes
Events30 (5 disciplines) Cancelled
Opening18 February 2011
Closing26 February 2011
Summer
Winter

The 2011 Winter Deaflympics (Slovak: Zimné Deaflympijské hry 2011) officially known as the 17th Winter Deaflympics (Slovak: 17. Zimná Deaflympiáda) was originally scheduled to be held from 18 February 2011 to 26 February 2011 in Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia. This was the first time that Slovakia was selected to host a Deaflympic event. But the multi-sporting event was cancelled due to the lack of preparations, lack of readiness and reluctance by the Deaflympic Committee of Slovakia prior to the event. The event was also cancelled mainly due to the alleged fraud by the former President of the Deaflympic Committee of Slovakia, Jaromir Ruda.[1] The Winter Games was cancelled and was postponed to 2015, which was the 18th Winter Deaflympics.[2][3]

Bidding and organization

Vysoke Tatry was selected as the host city for the 17th Winter Deaflympics which was approved by the 39th Congress of International Committee of Sports for the Deaf on 4 January 2005 in Australia, Melbourne just before the 2005 Summer Deaflympics.[4] About 438 athletes and 25 countries were estimated to compete in the multi-sport event.[5][6]

Crisis and controversies

The 2011 Winter Games was also temporarily cancelled by the Comite International des Sports des Sourds on 11 May 2010 due to the delay in arrangements for the commencement of the Winter Games.[7][8][9] Apart from the lack of preparations, it was revealed that the President of the Deaflympic Organizing Committee of Slovakia involved in the fraud scam (accused of diverting in excess of 1.7 million euros) relating to the funds which was transferred to the Deaflympic Committee of Slovakia by other national deaf sports federations was misused by the Committee and the President of the Federation.[10][11] The ICSD filed a criminal complaint against him and against the Committee demanding the reimbursement of the funds in order to cover the hotel accommodations and other relevant expenditures for the arrangement of the multi-sporting event. In 2011 August, Jaromir Ruda was sentenced to 13 years in prison for also involving in 11 other fraud cases.[12][13][14][15] The FIR also resulted in the suspension of the Deaflympic Committee of Slovakia and the ICSD decided to skip the planned Winter Games after the ICSD couldn't able to refund the sufficient funds.[16][17]

References

  1. ↑ "Deaf News: Organiser of the failed 2011 Winter Deaflympics sentenced to prison for fraud". The Limping Chicken. 24 July 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "Slovakia Winter Deaflympics Officially Declared Cancelled". Disabled World. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  3. ↑ Kelly, Malcolm (12 February 2011). "Winter deaf games cancellation met with anger". CBC Sports. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  4. ↑ "39th Congress of ICSD | Deaflympics". www.deaflympics.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Z olympiády sú zatiaľ len sľuby". Pravda.sk (in Slovak). 10 February 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "Winter Deaflympic Games Fiasco - Slovakia 2011". Storify. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "News | Deaflympics". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  8. ↑ "Slovakia: Deaflympics 2011 Controversy · Global Voices". Global Voices. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  9. ↑ "ICSD statement on 2011 Winter Deaflympics | UK Deaf Sport". ukdeafsport.org.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  10. ↑ "Deaflympics: The rubbish tycoon and the games that were dumped". The Independent. 13 April 2011. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  11. ↑ "Deaflympiádu zrušili, Slovensko má svetovú hanbu". Pravda.sk (in Slovak). 14 February 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  12. ↑ "Deaflympics Fraudster Ruda Guilty of 11 More Crimes". The Daily Slovak News. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  13. ↑ "Exšéf deaflympionikov Jaromír Ruda dostal 14,5 roka". www.pluska.sk. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  14. ↑ "Kauza tunelovania deflympiády ukončená: Jaromír Ruda dostal 13 rokov!". Topky.sk. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  15. ↑ a.s., Petit Press. "Ruda sentenced to 13 years in prison". spectator.sme.sk. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  16. ↑ "WFD Statement on the Cancellation of the 17th Winter Deaflympics - WFD". WFD. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  17. ↑ "ICSD regrets for cancellation of 2011 Winter Deaflympics". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
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