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Posted on 02/05/2022 17:52 Updated 02/05/2022 18:01

Opening of the 24th edition of the Summer Deaflympics brings together athletes from 77 countries and authorities in Caxias do Sul/RS

Opening ceremony of the Summer Deaflympic Games in Caxias do Sul - Photo: Júlio Dutra/ Min. Citizenship

 

The Sesi gym in Caxias do Sul (RS) was the stage, on Sunday (05/01), of the opening ceremony of the 24th edition of the Summer Deaflympics. Among athletes, managers and technical committees, the mega-event brings together more than five thousand people, representing 77 countries in the dispute of 20 modalities for men and 18 for women.

 

The First Lady, Michelle Bolsonaro, the Minister of Citizenship, Ronaldo Bento, and the National Secretary of Parasports of the Special Secretariat for Sport of the Ministry of Citizenship, Agtônio Guedes, represented the Federal Government.

 

The delegation parade was opened by the French, in reference to the 1st edition of Summer Deaflympics, in 1924, in the city of Paris (France). The Brazilian delegation, which in total has 199 athletes. The flag bearer was Stefany Krebs, from women's football.

 

The artistic presentations were highlighted at the ceremony, which was attended by students from Helen Keller school, the show 'Mãos que fala', in reference to sign language, in addition to performances presented by artists from Rio Grande do Sul, representing the local culture.

 

The Deaflympic Torch was led in the gym by swimmer Guilherme Maia, owner of five of the ten medals won by Brazil to date in the history of the competition, and also by Mário Pimentel, first president of the Brazilian Confederation of Sports for the Deaf.

 

The Brazilians will compete in 17 men's and 14 women's modalities. Football, volleyball, handball, basketball, athletics, badminton, swimming, road cycling, mountain biking, shooting, orienteering, table tennis, judo and karate will be represented in both suits. In tennis, beach volleyball and taekwondo Brazil has men's teams.

 

For Diana Kyosen, president of the Brazilian Confederation of Sports for the Deaf (CBDS), the Deaflympics provide hope for a promising future for the community of deaf athletes. “This hope is strengthened by our presence at this event, with more than 5,000 deafathletes and members of technical committees, coming from 77 countries, which proves the strength and unity of our Deaflympic movement”, she said.

 

Federal Presence

In December 2021, the Federal Government invested R$ 800 thousand in holding the National Deaf Olympiad in São José dos Campos (SP). Another R$ 400 thousand came from parliamentary amendments. The competition served as a selection to assemble the delegation that is in Caxias.

 

The Federal Government is also a partner of the Deaflympic Games in Caxias do Sul with Jogo Limpo. The Brazilian Doping Control Authority (ABCD) has appointed doping control officers trained to work on the sporting mega-event. In addition, it provided 250 kits for anti-doping tests and provided supplies for carrying out sample collections.