Nominations for Executive Committee 2005-2009

Nominations for President:

Dr. Donalda K. AMMONS - USA
I am very much interested in continuing to serve on the Executive Committee for the 2005-2009 term. I served the USA Deaf Sports Federation starting in 1975, in various capacities involving the fund-raising and preparation of the USAteam. I was a USA delegate to CISS congress 5 times before being elected in 1995 as 2nd Vice President. Then in 1997, I was being nominated for Vice President but due to unexpected and sudden withdrawal of the nomination of our long-time Secretary General, Mr. Knud Sondergaard, I was thrust into the Secretary General position, with very limited preparation and experience. In late 2003, I was selected by the Executive Committee to fill in as Interim President after John Lovett's passing, while continuing to carry out my duties as Secretary General. I was instrumental in establishing a home office and a website and database for better information sharing. Most definitely I have learned many valuable lessons and gained positive experience which will continue to benefit the organization.

My goals are to:

  1. Uphold the integrity of DEAFLYMPICS as a bona-fide international governing body for Deaflympic Games by strengthening ties with IOC, IPC and GAISF.
  2. Implement a 10-year action plan to increase quality of support services and resources for all members from all over the world.
  3. Execute a strategic plan for marketing and media to maximize our financial base.

Valery RUKHLEDEV - Russia (also nominated for vice president and member at large)
I am a 6-time Deaflympic Games champion in wrestling. Since 1978, I have been very actively involved with sports administration and management in the USSRand Russia. In 1993 I founded the Russian Sports Union of the Deaf. Since 1987 I have been involved with the EDSO Executive Board. I attended the Deaflympic Games 12 times as an athlete and as an official and CISS Congress delegate. I organized national championships in 20 different sports in the USSR and Russia. I was named one of the Ten Top Deaflympians of the Century. The IOC twice awarded me the IOC Diploma and Certificate. I believe that with my vast experience and expertise with sports I will as a CISS Executive Committee member contribute a great deal to the future of the CISS/Deaflympic movement in many different ways.

My goals are to:

  1. Raise funds to make the organization financially strong and sound;
  2. Treat each National Sports Association fairly and equally by strictly following the rules of the CISS Constitution, Deaflympic Games and World Championship Regulations;
  3. Have "a clean sport", that is, to implement and enforce rules against using doping by athletes;
  4. To improve and strengthen ties with the Regional Organizations, the IOC, IPC, International Sports Federations, National Olympic Committees, World Federation of the Deaf;
  5. To expand the Deaflympic Games program in the future by including such sports as indoor football, golf, baseball, judo, karate, curling and softball;
  6. Increase the membership base by attracting new countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

For Vice President

David LANESMAN - Israel (also nominated for member at large)
I believe I can help in politic-making decisions and in contributing ideas. I have many years of experience in Deaf Sports locally and internationally and have participated in many CISS/Deaflympic and EDSO congresses.

My goals are to:

  1. Attract more member countries;
  2. Obtain more recognition of Deaf Sports;
  3. Fight for equality rights for Deaf Sports in member countries through IOC;
  4. Seek a Deaf representative on the IOC Board.

Jessica ROHDE - Denmark (also nominated for member at large)
I have 19 years of experience of committee and organizations work. My experience is quite broad as I have been a member of youth club, deaf club, local deaf sports club and Danish Deaf Youth Association. Since year 2000 I have been a member of Danish Deaf Sports Association, for which I have held various positions. At present, I am President.

I am very interested in international work and affairs of deaf sport world. I also do understand spoken English and write English very well and can communicate in British Sign Language and International Sign Language.

I am a qualified Teacher of the Deaf in Denmarkand teach Danish and English.

My goals for DEAFLYMPICS are:

  1. DEAFLYMPICS be accepted worldwide and be seen as an equal counterpart to the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.
  2. Deaf world is going through a lot of changes because of Cochlear Implant, which affects deaf sport. We need to include our young deaf children with cochlear implant in our Deaflympic movement. 
  3. Educate governments in some countries about DEAFLYMPICS to help secure more support for deaf sports.

For Treasurer - Vacant


For Sports Director - Vacant


For Member-at-Large

Siv FOSSHAUG - Switzerland
Sports have always meant a lot to me. When I was younger, I was active in different sports; I also went to a high school of sport. I attended the NorwegianUniversityof Sport and Physical Education where I got my BA and MA degrees. For my master thesis I researched on Deafsports in an empowerment perspective. Due to my studies in general sports, deaf studies and bilingualism for Deaf and English, I feel I can contribute a lot to the Executive Committee. I have participated in several Deaflympics as an athlete, assistant and researcher and delegate at CISS congress. I have experienced (in Norway) how strenuous it can be to work with other disabled sports organizations but at the same time I learned a lot about what high quality work means in an organization. I am interested in working politically towards keeping Deafsport, improving its management and organization and maintaining the quality of international Deafsports. I am fluent in Norwegian, Norwegian Sign Language, English, American Sign Language, German, Swiss-German Sign Language, and some French

My goals are to:

  1. Have well-qualified Executive Committee members with good knowledge who are well informed;
  2. To have each Executive Member assigned to a specific political area to work on, thus relieving the administration of part of its work;
  3. Have respect for each other, thinking creatively, be goal-oriented;
  4. Work effectively, grow stronger as an organization and financially;
  5. Stay independent, support Deaf sports in the Third World, give Deaf women better access to Deafsports;
  6. Have good cooperation with the IOC, the IPC, the national sport associations of the Deaf, Hearing (ordinary sports) and Disabled.

Tommy JUNG - Korea
I'm in regular work as secretary at Korea Deaf Sports Federation and also I was elected Secretary General by unanimous consent with Asia/Pacific Sports Deaf Confederation. I love sports and my mind is seriously affected by it. The Asia/Pacific Sports Deaf Confederation needs to reinvigorate more and more. A third of the countries are still not members. It means that the government is not supporting their sports funds and activities.

My goals are to:

  1. Revitalize sports in Third World countries;
  2. Increase events in sports such as Taekwondo at elementary school in Korea;
  3. Plan a 10-year project in sports support from the government, including world badminton championship host, Asia/Pacific Sports football championship host.

Dogan OZDEMIR - Turkey
All my life, I played different sports on hearing teams. Since 1979 I work in the deaf sports club and my aim is to increase sport events and to get equal rights with hearing people. Since the end of 2003, I start to work full-time for deaf community. It is my great dream to establish Junior Deaf Sports competitions.

My goals are:

  1. To get more recognition and financial support for DEAFLYMPICS;
  2. To work closely with governmental bodies and NOC to support the deaf more;
  3. To help organize more International Deaf Sport Federations and have them recognized by International Sports Federations and GAISF. I already get support to establish the Deaf World Wrestling Federation. 
  4. To make DEAFLYMPICS stronger!

Peter PASTOR - Slovakia
I am interested in improving the sport of the Deaf. I want to help it by using all my knowledge and abilities. Particularly, I want to work with problems in sport in the Middle and Western Europewhere after joining the European Union have come not only new opportunities but also some problems. In CISS Executive Committee I would like to care better about the problematics of improvement in sport of the young Deaf. Only by early education and motivation can we achieve a stop of decrease in member base in our countries.

My goals are to:

  1. Represent with dignity the greatest sport celebration of the Deaf - the Deaflympics;
  2. Solve the problems of finances in sports of the Deaf in Slovak;
  3. Improve the conditions in sport in Slovakia by being a candidate for organization of the 17th Winter Deaflympics in 2011;
  4. Increase the importance and strengthen the position of the sport of the Deaf and Slovak Association of Deaf sportsmen in SlovakRepublic

 

 

Mike John WEBSTER - Great Britain
I feel I am able to offer my services and to promote further the objects of CISS to all age groups. I have wide experiences in doing that. Furthermore I mix well with all generations and by having a Deaf son (age 23) who is able to inform me of any changes needed to encourage young people to participate fully in any CISS competitions. (I am a youth worker as well.)

My goals are to get better recognition of Deaflympics by having it on the same year as the main Olympics to obtain better media attention. Then it will be great. Each country should then establish its own Deaflympics Committee for the purpose of raising awareness and funding for Deaflympics only.

 

 

Yang YANG - China
As executive president of China Deaflympic Committee, I like the cause of Deaflympic. I would like to serve more and more deaf persons to let them enjoy sport and enjoy life. Sports for deaf persons is a rising thing in China. I'd like to be a person to enhance communication and cooperation between China Deaflympic Committee and International Deaflympics.

My goals are to:

  1. Do my best to let more countries and more deaf persons throughout the world participate Deaflympic and Deaflympic Games and let more deaf persons join the society through sports and let the world be inspired by their great performance.
  2. Be a bridge between China Deaflympic Committee and DEAFLYMPICS to let China participate in more activities and games of DEAFLYMPICS.

 

 

 

 

 

Ineligible Nominations for Member-at-Large:

 

Benaissa HAMIDA - Tunisia
(Tunisiais not yet a full member)

 

Emmanuel SOHOU - Senegal
(Senegalis not yet a full member)

By Secretariat