ICSD appoints Sports Recruitment International to lead global search for new Chief Executive Officer

Frederick MD, USA - The International Committee for Sport for the Deaf (ICSD) has retained Sports Recruitment International to lead a global search to find their new Chief Executive Officer who will lead the further implementation of their ambitious strategic plan.

The ICSD is the international governing body responsible for all deaf sports. It counts 104 national deaf sports federations as its members and is a recognized member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as well as SportAccord (see also www.deaflympics.com).

Under the leadership of Craig Crowley, who was elected President of the ICSD in 2009, and the executive board, the ICSD has developed an ambitious strategic plan for 2010 to 2013 that includes major objectives as building organizational strength as well as increasing marketing prominence.

The ICSD's largest events, the Summer and Winter Deaflympics are among the world's fastest growing sports events. More than 4,000 deaf athletes and officials from 77 nations participated in the 21st Summer Deaflympics in Taipei, Chinese Taipei, in September 2009. And over 600 athletes and officials participated in the 16th Winter Deaflympics in Salt Lake City, United States in February 2007.

Craig Crowley commented: "We expect the new Chief Executive Officer to play a key role in the development of our organization by giving direction and leadership within the framework of the ambitious strategic plan. He or she will work with our Board and a small team to develop existing policies as well as new partnerships to support the development of sport for the deaf and our global events. We expect the new CEO to bring us his or her experience in working with international or national sports governing bodies and to help us develop our organisation, our events and our network of partners at the benefit of the sports for the deaf".

The ICSD announced in October of this year that Tiffany Granfors, Chief Executive Officer, has decided to leave the organization after 10 years of loyal service, effective after the 2011 Winter Deaflympics in Slovakia.

Michael Platen, the partner of Sports International Recruitment who will lead this search out of Lausanne, added: "We are very excited by this collaboration. The ICSD is not a rich federation but has an enormous legacy from having organised the first games for disabled athletes back in 1924, when it was still called "the Silent Games". They are a recognized member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as well as SportAccord. It is a very interesting opportunity for both the individual who will take this role, and the ICSD to write new pages in their history, with an excellent potential for development."

The 17th Winter Deaflympics will be held in February 2011 in Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia, and Greece, will host the 22nd Summer Deaflympics in August 2013. Vancouver, Canada, will host the 18th Winter Deaflympics in February 2015.

Founded in 2001, Sports Recruitment International is now recognised as a leading executive search firm for the Sports Industry. It has offices in London, Sydney, Singapore and Lausanne. Michael Squires, the London based Chairman of Sports Recruitment International, played an important role in liaising with the ICSD, which lead to this collaboration.

For more information about this opportunity, please click here – www.deaflympics.com/pdf/CEOposition.pdf

By Secretariat