Deaf International Basketball Federation
Encyclopedia
Deaf basketball
Deaf basketball is basketball played by deaf people. Sign language is used to communicate whistle blows and communication between players.-National associations:...
with support of International Basketball Federation
International Basketball Federation
The International Basketball Federation, more commonly known as FIBA , from its French name Fédération Internationale de Basketball, is an association of national organizations which governs international competition in basketball...
(FIBA) and in cooperation with Deaflympics
Deaflympics
The Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level...
and its confederations. DIBF is an independent association composed of the National Organisations governing deaf basketball.
DIBF encourages the growth and development of deaf basketball in all nationals of the world through an organised program of education and instruction. They serve as the official governing body for the scheduling and conduct of all international contest and championships in deaf basketball in cooperation with the Deaflympics
Deaflympics
The Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level...
and its confederations. They also maintain a documented history of the basketball by recording and reporting on all major international contests from the inception of international competitions to the present. DIBF aims to expand its organisation and to empower deaf basketball world in the future too.
Privileged board consisting of President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary-General and members at large - better known as Central Board, manages DIBF. This enthusiastic board, made in majority of deaf people, brings together many years of management and basketball experiences, and are composed of representatives from all over the world.
History
Sport of basketball has increased in popularity among elite deaf athletes around the world. Several international and national basketball competitions have already been held for several years under an international organisation of sports for the deaf called the DeaflympicsDeaflympics
The Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level...
. This international deaf sports organisation has had a long and rich history in Deaf sports since establishment in 1924 - being the oldest of the international organisations on disability sports for disabled people.
On 2 May 1988, a group of highly respected deaf sports athletes involved in basketball came together in Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. They recommended the need for a world governing body for international deaf basketball
Deaf basketball
Deaf basketball is basketball played by deaf people. Sign language is used to communicate whistle blows and communication between players.-National associations:...
, so it can focus entirely on the deaf basketball game and to improve its standards. The first provisional Central Board was formed, consisted of President - Jussi Raiso (Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
), Vice-President - Aleksas Jasiunas (Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
), Secretary - Christian Boklund (Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
), Board Member - Riina Kuusk (Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
) and Board Adviser - Kjell Gunnå (Sweden).
From this special meeting, "International Deaf Basketball Association" (IDBA) was founded and the first IDBA Constitution with Statutes and Regulations were approved. The IDBA started informing other deaf people of its inception and invited organisations interested in deaf basketball around the world to join.
On 27 July 2001, during Summer Deaflympics
Deaflympics
The Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level...
in Rome, Italy, a first meeting was convened officially establishing IDBA as an organisation. Although the necessary two-third attendance from countries from all over the world playing deaf basketball was not achieved in Rome, still it was decided that the provisional Central Board would continue its work. Elected President was Jussi Raisio (Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
), Secretary - Christian Boklund (Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
), Treasurer - Rick Balk (USA), Member-at-large - Lyndon Borrow (Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) and Yaakov Keren (Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
), and Board Advisor - Kjell Gunnå (Sweden).
A year later, during the 2002 1st World Deaf Basketball Championships in Athens, Greece, IDBA held a founding meeting with two-third majority votes achieved of officials from countries practicing deaf basketball countries thus it was officially founded. The name IDBA was also changed to Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) for more corporate visibility and comprehensiveness.
The first official DIBF Central Board was composed of President - Jussi Raisio (Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
), Vice-President - Lyndon Borrow (Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
), Secretary General - Kjell Gunna (Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
), Treasurer - Rick Balk (USA), Member-at-large - Ioannis Stoufis (Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
). Later, two additional female members were added - Yue-Tong Zhu (China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
) and Iryna Chepchyna (Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
). The Central Board was elected with term to next World Deaf Basketball Championships in 2007.
International recognition
At the Congress of Comité International des Sports de Surds (now known as DeaflympicsDeaflympics
The Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level...
) during the Winter Deaflympics
Deaflympics
The Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level...
in Sundsvall
Sundsvall
-External links:* - Official site from Nordisk Familjebok - Sundsvalls tourist information bureau. - The alternative guide to Sundsvall. - Blog with photos from Sundsvall....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, in February 2003, the Congress officially decided to recognise the DIBF as an Associate Member. The DIBF gained Associate Membership with the Deaflympics
Deaflympics
The Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level...
and henceforth can operate independently by itself for the development of deaf basketball around the world.
Presently, the International Basketball Federation
International Basketball Federation
The International Basketball Federation, more commonly known as FIBA , from its French name Fédération Internationale de Basketball, is an association of national organizations which governs international competition in basketball...
(FIBA) has granted recognition of DIBF as the world governing body and sturdily supports its organisation and efforts for development camps for deaf basketball and organisation of seminars across the six different continents. DIBF has continued to grow significantly and the standards of deaf basketball has increased in notability and visibility.
See also
- AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Lance AllredLance AllredLance Collin Allred is an American professional basketball player. Allred is hearing impaired, with a 75-80% hearing loss. He is the first legally deaf player in NBA history...
and SloveniaSloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n Miha ZupanMiha ZupanMiha Zupan Miha Zupan Miha Zupan (born September 13, 1982 in Kranj, Slovenia, is a Slovenian professional basketball player. Despite being deaf since birth, he plays among hearing players at the highest level in Europe...
are notable deaf basketball players who have played basketball professionally with hearing people.