2011 Winter Deaflympics
{{short description|17th Winter Deaflympics}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox games
| name = 17th Winter Deaflympics
| logo = Deaflympics logo.svg
| size =
| caption =
| motto =
| host_city = Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia
| nations = 25 countries
| athletes = 252 athletes
| events = 30 (5 disciplines)
| opening = 18 February 2011
| closing = 26 February 2011
| opened_by =
| Torch lighter =
| stadium =
| SpreviousS = Taipei 2009
| SnextS = Sofia 2013
| Sprevious = Salt Lake City 2007
| Snext = Khanty-Mansiysk 2015
}}
The 2011 Winter Deaflympics ({{langx|sk|Zimné Deaflympijské hry 2011}}), officially known as the 17th Winter Deaflympics ({{langx|sk|17. Zimná Deaflympiáda}}) was originally scheduled to be held from 18 February 2011 to 26 February 2011 in Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia. This was the first time that Slovakia was selected to host a Deaflympic event. But the multi-sporting event was cancelled due to the lack of preparations, lack of readiness and reluctance by the Deaflympic Committee of Slovakia prior to the event. The event was also cancelled mainly due to the alleged fraud by the former President of the Deaflympic Committee of Slovakia, Jaromir Ruda.{{Cite news|url=http://limpingchicken.com/2013/07/24/deaf-news-organiser-of-the-failed-2011-winter-deaflympics-sentenced-to-prison-for-fraud/|title=Deaf News: Organiser of the failed 2011 Winter Deaflympics sentenced to prison for fraud|date=2013-07-24|work=The Limping Chicken|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en-US}} The Winter Games was cancelled and was postponed to 2015, which was the 18th Winter Deaflympics.{{Cite news|url=https://www.disabled-world.com/sports/deaflympics/officially-cancelled.php|title=Slovakia Winter Deaflympics Officially Declared Cancelled|work=Disabled World|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/2.723/winter-deaf-games-cancellation-met-with-anger-1.990271|title=Winter deaf games cancellation met with anger|work=CBC Sports|first=Malcolm|last=Kelly|date=12 February 2011|access-date=2022-01-09|language=en}}
Bidding and organization
Vysoke Tatry was selected as the host city for the 17th Winter Deaflympics as a replacement of Vancouver which was approved by the 39th Congress of International Committee of Sports for the Deaf on 4 January 2005 in Australia, Melbourne just before the 2005 Summer Deaflympics.{{Cite web|url=http://www.deaflympics.com/icsd.asp?614|title=39th Congress of ICSD {{!}} Deaflympics|website=www.deaflympics.com|language=en|access-date=2017-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923223127/http://www.deaflympics.com/icsd.asp?614|archive-date=2015-09-23|url-status=dead}} About 438 athletes and 25 countries were estimated to compete in the multi-sport event.{{Cite news|url=https://spravy.pravda.sk/domace/clanok/169343-z-olympiady-su-zatial-len-sluby/|title=Z olympiády sú zatiaľ len sľuby|date=2011-02-10|work=Pravda.sk|access-date=2017-11-01|language=sk-SK}}{{Cite web|url=https://storify.com/paulocosta/deaflympics|title=Winter Deaflympic Games Fiasco - Slovakia 2011|website=Storify|access-date=2017-11-01}}
Crisis and controversies
The 2011 Winter Games were also temporarily cancelled by the Comite International des Sports des Sourds on 11 May 2010, due to the delay in arrangements for the commencement of the Winter Games.{{Cite web|url=http://www.deaflympics.com/news.asp?1536|title=News {{!}} Deaflympics|website=www.deaflympics.com|language=en|access-date=2017-11-01}}{{Cite news|url=https://globalvoices.org/2011/02/11/slovakia-deaflympics-2011-controversy/|title=Slovakia: Deaflympics 2011 Controversy · Global Voices|date=2011-02-11|work=Global Voices|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://ukdeafsport.org.uk/icsd-statement-on-2011-winter-deaflympics/|title=ICSD statement on 2011 Winter Deaflympics {{!}} UK Deaf Sport|website=ukdeafsport.org.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-11-01}} Apart from the lack of preparations, it was revealed that the President of the Deaflympic Organizing Committee of Slovakia involved in the fraud scam (accused of diverting in excess of 1.7 million euros) relating to the funds which was transferred to the Deaflympic Committee of Slovakia by other national deaf sports federations was misused by the Committee and the President of the Federation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/deaflympics-the-rubbish-tycoon-and-the-games-that-were-dumped-2266957.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/deaflympics-the-rubbish-tycoon-and-the-games-that-were-dumped-2266957.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Deaflympics: The rubbish tycoon and the games that were dumped|date=2011-04-13|work=The Independent|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en-GB}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite news|url=https://spravy.pravda.sk/domace/clanok/169380-deaflympiadu-zrusili-slovensko-ma-svetovu-hanbu/|title=Deaflympiádu zrušili, Slovensko má svetovú hanbu|date=2011-02-14|work=Pravda.sk|access-date=2017-11-01|language=sk-SK}} The ICSD filed a criminal complaint against him and against the Committee demanding the reimbursement of the funds in order to cover the hotel accommodations and other relevant expenditures for the arrangement of the multi-sporting event. In 2011 August, Jaromir Ruda was sentenced to 13 years in prison for also involving in 11 other fraud cases.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thedaily.sk/deaflympics-fraudster-ruda-guilty-of-11-more-crimes/|title=Deaflympics Fraudster Ruda Guilty of 11 More Crimes|website=The Daily Slovak News|language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-01}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.pluska.sk/krimi/domace-krimi/exsef-deaflympionikov-jaromir-ruda-dostal-145-roka.html|title=Exšéf deaflympionikov Jaromír Ruda dostal 14,5 roka|date=2013-11-06|work=www.pluska.sk|access-date=2017-11-01}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.topky.sk/cl/100370/1356267/Kauza-tunelovania-deflympiady-ukoncena--Jaromir-Ruda-dostal-13-rokov-|title=Kauza tunelovania deflympiády ukončená: Jaromír Ruda dostal 13 rokov!|work=Topky.sk|access-date=2017-11-01}}{{Cite news|url=https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20047701/ruda-sentenced-to-13-years-in-prison.html|title=Ruda sentenced to 13 years in prison|last=a.s.|first=Petit Press|work=spectator.sme.sk|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en}} The FIR also resulted in the suspension of the Deaflympic Committee of Slovakia and the ICSD decided to skip the planned Winter Games after the ICSD couldn't able to refund the sufficient funds.{{Cite news|url=https://wfdeaf.org/news/wfd-statement-on-the-cancellation-of-the-17th-winter-deaflympics/|title=WFD Statement on the Cancellation of the 17th Winter Deaflympics - WFD|date=2011-02-18|work=WFD|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.deaflympics.com/news.asp?1487|title=ICSD regrets for cancellation of 2011 Winter Deaflympics|last=|first=|date=|website=www.deaflympics.com|language=en|access-date=2017-11-01}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=2007
XVI
Salt Lake City, USA}}
{{s-ttl|title=2011
XVII
Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia}}
{{s-aft|after=2015
XVIII
Khanty-Mansiysk and Magnitogorsk, Russia}}
{{s-end}}
{{Deaflympics}}
Category:Cancelled multi-sport events
Category:2011 in multi-sport events