Deaflympics opens in Taiwan with drums and fireworks display
Display location:Taipei
City:Taipei
Date:Sept.5
Details: Taipei - A spectacular firework display and the beating of drums by 80 deaf students heralded the official opening of the 21st Summer Deaflympics in Taipei on Saturday evening. President Ma Ying-jeou, through sign language, announced the opening of the 10-day games, which will be attended by nearly 3,000 athletes from 80 countries and regions. They will compete in some 100 events in 20 sports. The Chinese team boycotted the opening because of Ma's presence, as China sees Taiwan as its breakaway province and does not recognize Ma's title as president. The Chinese team, with nearly 100 athletes, booked a late-night flight so that they arrived after the completion of the opening ceremony. However, in a sign of eased tension, China sent its dance troupe of the deaf to the opening ceremony to perform the "Thousand-Handed Goddess of Mercy" dance - the first time Chinese performers have participated in a Taiwan sports event. This is the second large-scale multi-national sports event held in Taiwan this year, after the World Games held in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, in July. Taiwan has vowed to hold a successful Deaflympics to raise its international profile as the internationally-isolated island has not had many chances to hold large-scale international events, due to a Chinese blockade. Deaflympics, previously called World Games for the Deaf, is sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee and held under the auspices of the CISS, the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf. The games, launched in Paris in 1924, are held every four years, and this is the first time it is held in Asia. To qualify for the games, athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 decibels in their "better ear". Hearing aids, cochlear implants and the like are banned in competition, to place all athletes on the same level. The Taipei city government has recruited some 10,000 volunteers to work at competition venues and to assist the athletes. The volunteers spent months learning international sign language to be able to communicate with the athletes who normally use their own countries' sign language. The government has spent millions of dollars on holding the Deaflympics. The opening ceremony alone cost 600 million Taiwan dollars (18 million US dollars). A big part of of it was spent on the fireworks which continued on and off throughout the opening ceremony, sometimes exploding silmultaneously at six points in Taipei, including from the top of the 508-metre Taipei 101 skyscraper. Taiwan spent great effort in winning the bid to host the event. In March 2003, at CISS's meeting to pick the host city, Taipei beat Athens 52-32 to win the bid due to Taipei's qualification, including a Taiwan sports official making the 20-minute presentation through sign language.
City:Taipei
Date:Sept.5
Details: Taipei - A spectacular firework display and the beating of drums by 80 deaf students heralded the official opening of the 21st Summer Deaflympics in Taipei on Saturday evening. President Ma Ying-jeou, through sign language, announced the opening of the 10-day games, which will be attended by nearly 3,000 athletes from 80 countries and regions. They will compete in some 100 events in 20 sports. The Chinese team boycotted the opening because of Ma's presence, as China sees Taiwan as its breakaway province and does not recognize Ma's title as president. The Chinese team, with nearly 100 athletes, booked a late-night flight so that they arrived after the completion of the opening ceremony. However, in a sign of eased tension, China sent its dance troupe of the deaf to the opening ceremony to perform the "Thousand-Handed Goddess of Mercy" dance - the first time Chinese performers have participated in a Taiwan sports event. This is the second large-scale multi-national sports event held in Taiwan this year, after the World Games held in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, in July. Taiwan has vowed to hold a successful Deaflympics to raise its international profile as the internationally-isolated island has not had many chances to hold large-scale international events, due to a Chinese blockade. Deaflympics, previously called World Games for the Deaf, is sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee and held under the auspices of the CISS, the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf. The games, launched in Paris in 1924, are held every four years, and this is the first time it is held in Asia. To qualify for the games, athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 decibels in their "better ear". Hearing aids, cochlear implants and the like are banned in competition, to place all athletes on the same level. The Taipei city government has recruited some 10,000 volunteers to work at competition venues and to assist the athletes. The volunteers spent months learning international sign language to be able to communicate with the athletes who normally use their own countries' sign language. The government has spent millions of dollars on holding the Deaflympics. The opening ceremony alone cost 600 million Taiwan dollars (18 million US dollars). A big part of of it was spent on the fireworks which continued on and off throughout the opening ceremony, sometimes exploding silmultaneously at six points in Taipei, including from the top of the 508-metre Taipei 101 skyscraper. Taiwan spent great effort in winning the bid to host the event. In March 2003, at CISS's meeting to pick the host city, Taipei beat Athens 52-32 to win the bid due to Taipei's qualification, including a Taiwan sports official making the 20-minute presentation through sign language.
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