Sport

Abstract

Sport Albie Louw (bio) The South African Deaf Sports Federation (SADSF) was established on March 9, 1974, in Johannesburg. The sports it focused on initially were rugby and netball. The SADSF’s mission is to be an effective and efficient democratic national organization that strives to promote the development of sports for the Deaf in South Africa [End Page 512] to the highest level of excellence while fostering unity and discouraging discrimination based on race, gender, or religion. The SADSF was affiliated with the International Committee for Sports for the Deaf from its inception, but was banned from participating in the global sports arena until 1993. The organization has been run by Deaf persons since its inception. Currently, Deaf school sports have a commission under the SADSF, and the chair of the Deaf School Sport Commission also serves as the junior vice president of the SADSF. Scholars who excel in their sport have always been included in Team South Africa at the Deaflympic Games. The SADSF highlight for 2009 was the participation of Team South Africa at the Deaflympic Games that were held in September in Taipei, Taiwan. South Africa finished 8th out of 81 countries in the medals ranking. Eight gold, two silver, and two bronze medals were brought home. Terence Parkin was the South African superstar, collecting seven gold medals in swimming and one bronze for cycling. At the end of 2009, the International Committee for Deaf Sports named Parkin the Widex 2009 Sportsman of the Year. Albie Louw Louw is a member of the Executive Committee, South African Deaf Sports Federation. Copyright © 2010 Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf