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IV Pan American Deaf GamesU.S. Team Highlights at 4th Pan American Deaf Games in Venezuelaby John Knetzger, Vice President of Member Services
The 4th Pan American Deaf Games took place in Valencia, Venezuela on August 11-18, 2007. The four sports that the US Team participated in - athletics, basketball, swimming, and volleyball - were on the campus of Universidad de Carabobo, with all competition venues a few minutes' walk apart. The opening ceremonies produced lively performances and incredible fireworks. But, electronic equipment malfunctions at athletics and basketball events did not affix a "best games ever" sticker to the 2007 edition. Under the direction of U.S. Team Leader, Mr. Raymond Kilthau, a total of 33 athletes competed. One athlete, Oyne Davis, competed in both athletics and basketball. Athletic trainers were Lonnie Tannenberg and Caroline Taylor. The Federación Venezolana Polideportiva de Sordos (Venezuela Deaf Sports Federation - http://www.feposor.net) organized the event under the auspices of PANAMDES (Pan American Deaf Sports Organization - http://www.panamdes.org), a regional confederation of 13 member countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The PANAMDES quadrennial event also serves as a qualifying round for the next Summer Deaflympics, depending on quotas granted by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (http://www.deaflympics.com) to each regional confederation. The PANAMDES Congress accepted Brazil's bid to host the 5th Pan American Deaf Games in 2011. The 4th Pan American Deaf Games gallery can be found at this link, courtesy of the Venezuela Deaf Sports Federation. Enjoy the slideshow! Decision of PANAMDES Congress Regarding Soccer In March 2007, after review of preliminary entries for team sports at the 2009 Summer Deaflympics, the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf issued a quota list for all four regional confederations to meet. If the number of entries for a particular team sport exceeds the quota allocated to a regional confederation, a qualifying event must take place. As far as USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF) were concerned, men's basketball, women's basketball, and women's soccer received automatic berths based on their gold-medal finishes at the 2005 Summer Deaflympics in Melbourne, Australia. The number of entries for men's soccer and men's volleyball exceeded quota and required qualifying. All other team sports were exempted from qualifying as the total number of entries either met or were below quota. The PANAMDES designated the 4th Pan American Deaf Games as the qualifying event. The top two teams in soccer and three in volleyball would earn entries into the 2009 Summer Deaflympics. Citing an unstable political situation in Venezuela, the USA Deaf Soccer Association elected not to participate and went ahead with its original long-planned soccer tour in the United Kingdom in late July. Men's volleyball did not share the same view and proceeded to enter the qualifying round and compete against four other teams for the top 3 spots. As a result of USADSF's absence in men's soccer, the PANAMDES Congress debated and approved a proposal that the USADSF may send its men's soccer team to the 2009 Summer Deaflympics with PANAMDES's approval only if two conditions were met: (1) any of the five soccer teams ranked after competing in Valencia declares its intention not to enter the 2009 Summer Deaflympics by August 2008, and (2) USADSF remits a 7,500 USD qualification bypass fee to PANAMDES. Posted: September 15, 2007 |
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