XIIth Australian Deaf Games

Canberra

30th December 1996 - 10th January 1997
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Australian Deaf Sports Federation Ltd. History

Interstate Deaf competition in Australia began with a friendly cricket match between South Australia and Victoria in 1895. The competition expanded to include tennis, table tennis, chess and draughts every two or three years in major capital cities in rotation. There were no official national organisation and the "carnivals", as these competitions were called, were conducted on an ad hoc basis. At end of World War II nearly all states were taking part in more than one sport at the "carnivals".

In December 1954, during the carnival at Adelaide, a meeting was held between hearing and Deaf leaders of the Australian Deaf community, delegates of states organisations of the Deaf and representatives from National Deaf Sporting Associations (cricket, tennis and table tennis). At the second meeting it was unanimously agreed to form a body to control all aspects of interstate sports competitions. This body was named "Australian Deaf Sports Federation" (A.D.S.F.).

The A.D.S.F. affiliated in 1956, with an international organisation of sports for the Deaf "Comite International des Sports des Sourds" (C.I.S.S.). The C.I.S.S. is responsible for all international competitions and World Games for the Deaf (Summer and Winter).

Due to internal domestic difficulties, ten years lapsed since Adelaide's carnival until the Australian Deaf Sports Carnival was staged in Sydney in 1964/65. This became the forerunner of the Australian Deaf Games.

In August 1965, Australia was, for the first time, represented at the World Games for the Deaf, the quadrennial "Olympic Games for the Deaf" at Washington D.C. where two Australians Barry Knapman and Jeff Went respectively won one gold and one silver medals.

For the first time, in 1975 Australia participated in the World Winter Games for the Deaf, held at Lake Placid, U.S.A. by sending a team of three skiiers and three officials. Also for the first time, the Federal and State Governments provided financial assistance to the team.

In the same year, the A.D.S.F. expanded its secretariat from one executive officer (Hon. Secretary/Treasurer) to an Executive Committee of three (a President, a Hon. Secretary/Treasurer and one Executive member). The first President was Mr Bruce R. Muller, JP of South Australia who served in this position until his retirement in 1985.

The first Trans Tasman Games for the Deaf took place during December 1975/January 1976 when the New Zealand team toured the eastern states of Australia, playing a series of matches against state teams and concluding its tour with matches against national teams.

A group of Deaf tenpin bowlers took part in the world Deaf tenpin bowling championships in U.S.A. with Ms Danielle Levitzke of Western Australia coming fifth in the women's title.

After negotiations for a number of years, the A.D.S.F. finally became a company limited by guarantee and retitled its organisation as the Australian Deaf Sports Federation Limited in 1982.

An Australian Deaf soccer team travelled to Hong Kong in December 1984 to participate in the 1st Asia/Pacific Deaf Soccer Championships. The meeting held in conjunction with the championships took the first step which led to a formal establishment in Melbourne in 1988 of an Asia/Pacific Deaf Sports Confederation.

On 1st March 1985, with funding from the Federal Government the A.D.S.F. Ltd employed Mr John Pilbeam as a part time administrator to manage the Secretariat.

At the beginning of 1986, following the retirement of Mr Muller, the Executive Committee was changed to a board of 5 directors. Mr John Lovett of Victoria who had been the Hon. General Secretary since 1968 became the second President.

Ansett Airlines was appointed in 1987, as the officical airline for the A.D.S.F. Ltd., and a newsletter "Focus" was published to inform the Deaf community of developments in national and international Deaf sports.

A team of 109 assembled at the Australian Institute of Sports' camp in Canberra at the beginning of 1989 for a training session prior to departing for Christchurch to participate in the XVIth Word Games for the Deaf. The Australian team triumphed, winning a total of 10 gold, 3 silver and 9 bronze medals.

For the XVIIth World Games for the Deaf in Sofia in 1993, the ADSF organised for the first time, a training camp in Munich, Germany which was conducted one week prior to the team's arrival in Sofia. The team returned with 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medals.

Prepared for ADSF by Anne Bremner (July 1996)

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