By Tom Degun

deaflympics_26-09-11September 24 - The Deaflympics received a major boost at the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) Congress in Rome after Budapest and Ankara stepped in to host the competition, which is the biggest sporting event on the planet for deaf athletes.


The 2013 event was in severe jeopardy after original hosts Athens pulled out due to a lack of financial guarantees but Budapest is working closely with ICSD to become a replacement host.

Meanwhile at the Rome Congress Ankara was picked ahead of Buenos Aires, Argentina and Barcelona, Spain as host of the 2017 Deaflympics to ensure a bright feature for elite deaf athletes.

"ICSD is delighted to be working with strong offers to host the Deaflympics," said ICSD President Craig Crowley.

"Our athletes deserve to train in the certain knowledge that they will have the opportunity to compete.

"So I am particularly pleased that future Deaflympics hosts have brought financial guarantees to the table."

In close voting at the ICSD Congress, Ankara narrowly defeated Buenos Aires in the race to host the 2017 Deaflympics having seen off Barcelona in the first round.

"We are so proud to have been selected as host of the 2017 Deaflympics," said Turkish Deaf Sport Federation President Oktay Aktaş.

"Turkey has a proud tradition of serving the global sports community by hosting international events."

"Thanks to the support of our government and our country's sports hosting experts, the Turkish Deaf Sport Federation put forward a bid that was excellent in two areas.

"We excelled with the quality of service we will provide to athletes and we provided the security of a government guarantee.

"Turkey's success with the Deaflympics can only help Istanbul's bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2020.

"Now we will get to work with happy hearts."

ICSD's Congress also voted unanimously to give in-principle support for Budapest's bid to replace Athens at 2013 Deaflympics host.

ICSD and the Hungarian Paralympic Committee will work together until the end of 2011 to determine the feasibility of hosting the Deaflympics in Budapest.

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