The signing of the MoU took place at the IOC’s headquarters in Lausanne, with President Thomas Bach greeting ISCD counterpart Valery Rukhledev.

Bach recognised the importance of ICSD as a multi-sport event and international sports organisation, with the body responsible for staging the Deaflympics and other World Deaf Championships.

As part of the MoU, the IOC have agreed to support the ISCD in achieving their aims of including deaf athletes and spectators in sport, organising activities and sports events within the Olympic Movement and sharing content on the IOC’s Olympic Channel.

The organisations also committed to helping to align their communication, marketing and commercial programmes, as well as helping to support the protection of athletes’ health and clean athletes.

The IOC and ICSD will also look to share knowledge on training programmes for athletes and officials.

Having signed the MoU, the ICSD reaffirmed their commitment to the Olympic Charter and contributing to the Olympic Movement’s goal of “building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised in accordance with Olympism and its values”.

The ICSD, which was formed in 1924, officially opened their new headquarters at Maison Du Sport International in the Olympic Capital Lausanne, following the signing of the agreement.

Rukhledev was joined by the ICSD Executive Board and Jennifer Mann, head of the IOC sports partnerships and coordination, at the ceremony.

Representatives from the Swiss Deaf Sports Federation, the Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) and the Deaf International Football Associations (DIFA) were also present.

Three days of meetings were also held by the organisation, where Samsun 2017 provided an update of their preparations for next year’s Summer Deaflympics in the Turkish city.