Letter from Interim President

I returned home feeling enthused after a very productive week in Lausanne for three different purposes:

  1. DEAFLYMPICS Executive Committee meeting,
  2. GAISF- SportAccord Convention and
  3. Seminar for Summer Sport Technical Directors.

The Executive Committee met for the first 3 days (16-18 May) prior to attending SportAccord convention.  A summary of the meeting is available in this issue. The EC meeting was the first one for a new regional president from Pan Am region - Maria de Bendequz, but it was also the last one for two other regional confederation presidents - Mr. Lennart Edwall (Europe) and Mr. Kuo-tung Chou (Asia/Pacific), as they have recently stepped down from their positions.  We wish them the best.

SportAccord 2004, the annual international sports convention owned by GAISF, brought over 3000 representatives from the 99 International Sports Federations affiliated to GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations), ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations) and AIOWF (Association of the International Olympic Winter Sports Federations), as well as the International Olympic Committee Executive Board, together with sponsors, sports lawyers, broadcasters and other specialists to discuss the key issues facing the sports industry. 

SportAccord 2004 included open conference sessions, workshops, seminars, scheduled networking opportunities and an exhibition, all scheduled around the Associations' meetings. With financial support from sponsors and IOC, we were pleased to be able to bring our summer sports technical directors to attend the conference and to set up with M2005 an exhibition on DEAFLYMPICS. (See SportAccord/GAISF photo)

Ole Artmann and I represented DEAFLYMPICS at the GAISF Annual Congress.  We were deeply touched when there was a silent prayer in memory of John Lovett at the beginning of the Congress. For more information, please go to http://www.agfisonline.com/en/newsletter.phtml.

Summer Sports Technical Directors had a very busy week revising the 2005 Games technical regulations and going through the practice/competition schedules and venues with Trish Tracey and David Peters representing M2005.  By the end of June, the informational packet consisting of the technical aspects of the 2005 Games will be sent out to all members.

The 2005 Deaflympic Games and Congress are about 6 months away.  It is time for us to get ourselves ready, such as reserving hotel rooms, buying air tickets, and applying for entry visas.  M2005 has informed me that only one-third (1/3) of the nation members have already booked hotels in Melbourne.  This is not good because very soon hotels will start to release rooms to other people/groups. Please contact  Event Travel Office at events@gtaus.com.au.  Also I am pleased to announce that the tickets are now on sale.  Order today!! Go to http://www.deaflympics.com/mel2005/sport_ticketingfinal.asp.

Donalda Ammons

By Donalda Ammons