Today, November 15, the official opening ceremony of the 25^th Summer Deaflympics was held in Tokyo, Japan. The largest international sporting event for athletes with hearing impairments, held every four years, has gained special historical significance this year — it coincides with the 100th anniversary of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf. It was exactly one hundred years ago, with the first Deaflympics, then known as the International Silent Games, that the history of international deaf sports began.

The ceremony took place at the "Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium" sports complex and was opened by the President of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), Adam Kosa, who launched the Games and wished good luck to all participating countries.

The artistic program of the ceremony showcased Japan's rich culture, aimed at strengthening the connection between hearing people and those with hearing impairments. The stage performances were dedicated to the 100-year history of the Deaflympics, their spirit, and the ideas of intercultural interaction and unity.

The ceremony was a vivid event for all attendees — colorful performances, a spirit of unity, speeches by distinguished guests, including Prince and Princess Akishino and Ishibashi Daigo, President of the Japanese Deaf Federation.

Special attention should be paid to the Deaflympic medal design, chosen through online voting among elementary, junior high, and high school students. Students chose between the options: "Bridge to the Future," "Cherry Blossom in the Future," and "Spreading Wings," with the third option, the idea of which is "to inspire athletes to achieve outstanding results and spread their wings wide," winning the majority of votes (40,458).

The obverse of the medal features a paper crane (origami). The design also uses traditional Japanese patterns considered auspicious. The reverse of the medal depicts several intersecting straight lines symbolizing connections with people around the world. The medal ribbon is indigo — dark blue with green — popular among Edo residents, combining two traditional Japanese patterns.

Over 3,000 athletes from 81 countries are participating in the current Games, competing for medals in 212 disciplines across 21 sports.

36 athletes (and 49 individuals — representatives, coaches, medical and technical staff) from Russia are participating as Deaf Individual Neutral Athletes (DINA).

Athletes competing in neutral status will compete in the following disciplines: badminton, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, road cycling, mountain bike cycling, golf, judo, karate, athletics, table tennis, swimming, tennis, and taekwondo.

The Games will last until November 26, and we will be following the events.

Text: Olga Troynikova, Nurlan Tazhigulov

Photo source: Deaflympics2025-games.jp

Translation: Daria Kudelina