The Government is looking at ways to resolve a lack of public funding for deaf athletes following interventions from Dame Caroline Dinenage and the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee that she Chairs.
On Tuesday, Dame Caroline, Member of Parliament for Gosport, chaired a session of the Committee that heard from Deaf Sport UK and elite deaf swimmers Nathan Young and Henry Hughes and learned that UK Sport, the body that distributes National Lottery funding to Olympic and Paralympic teams, does not fund athletes competing at the Deaflympics.
The Deaflympics is 101 years old, and over 3,000 athletes from 80 different countries are competing at the 2025 Deaflympics in Tokyo next month. Yet, unlike their international competitors, the British Team have received no financial support for their training and the £450,000 to fund their travel and accommodation at the 2025 Deaflympics is funded through limited sponsorship and by the athletes themselves.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Caroline asked Culture, Media and Sport Secretary of State Lisa Nandy MP:
“Earlier this week, the Select Committee heard from Henry Hughes and Nathan Young, 2 brilliant swimmers who are travelling to Tokyo next month to represent Britain as part of the Deaflympics.
“It's a competition that's been running for over 100 years, longer than the Paralympics, in fact, but deaf athletes are the only disabled elite sports group that have no access to either government or UK sport funding.
“So I wondered if the Secretary of State, first of all, will join me in wishing all our deaf Olympians the very best of luck in Tokyo next month.
“But also, will she agree to meet with them and with Deaf Sport UK on their return to discuss how this terrible situation can be improved and they can be supported so much better in the future?”
Secretary of State Lisa Nandy said:
“Can I thank her, as always, for raising an issue that has been raised with both myself and the Minister for Sport.
“We're working with UK Sport to try to resolve this. Of course, we'll be cheering them on in Tokyo, and I'm really looking forward to that, but we know that those opportunities aren't available to all. I'd be very happy to meet with her to discuss this further.”
ENDS
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You can read a transcript of the Culture, Media, and Sport Select Committee Evidence Session at committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/16486/html/
