More than 3,000 athletes from 97 countries will take part at the premier event for deaf athletes in the Black Sea city.

They will compete in 20 sports - athletics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, road cycling, football, golf, handball, judo, karate, mountain bike, orienteering, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball and wrestling.

The action will be the biggest sporting event ever-staged in Turkey.

Held every four years, the Deaflympics is the longest running multi-sport event excluding the Olympic Games, and are run by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf.

They were first held in Paris in 1924.

A number of venues will be utilised in Samsun, including the Canik 19 Mayis Stadium, IIkadim Athletics Fields, the Yasar Dogu Sports Hall and the Atakum Olympic Swimming Pool.

Samsun Governor Osman Kaymak said: "We have a great mission in demonstrating Turkish hospitality and chivalry to the world. 

"Let's embrace this event. 

"Like good hosts, let's not upset our guests, let's prevent bad incidents. 

"Let's help our guests in arriving to the event venues and then come back peacefully to their lodgings. 

"I wish the Deaflympics to bring prosperity to our city and our country. 

"The whole world will be talking about Turkey and the whole country will be talking about Samsun. 

"In this sense, I wish our national athletes success. 

"I hope they receive a lot of gold medals and proudly hoist our flag."

The event will begin with an Opening Ceremony tomorrow at the Canik 19 Mayis Stadium.

There will also be men's shooting and women's football action on day one, with the latter including a clash between hosts Turkey and Brazil.

Thirteen days of competition will conclude on July 30.