Welcome to the DEAF WRESTLE Project

Greco Roman Wrestling for d/Deaf people 

Our Project

About DEAF WRESTLE

Greco Roman Wrestling for d/Deaf people

The DEAF_WRESTLE project’s main objective is to equip coaches, managers or instructors, athletes, referees with competences and skills aiming at improving the outreach to people with hearing disabilities. 

“Sport brings together all aspects of a diverse society and thereby contributes not only to the development of the individual, but also encourages respect for others. This leads to a greater understanding and the establishment of a more just and inclusive society.”

D/Deaf people participate in sport events and competitions for the d/Deaf such as the Deaflympics, but they have the chance to compete in a mainstream setting, too. Nevertheless, some sports are more deaf-friendly than the others, and they often have to work harder and overcome a number of obstacles that are virtually unknown to the hearing people, for example misinterpretation in coach’s verbal directions and not doing what they were told. These kinds of obstacles make them feel embarrassed and eventually, they decide to quit on sports.  

Amongst the sports, that d/Deaf or hard of hearing people could engage with, is Greco- Roman Wrestling, which is a sport that can enhance their physical and mental health. Likewise, they can wrestle against hearing athletes in mainstream sport competitions, but there are still many barriers to overcome, such as miscommunication due to language mismatch. The significance of the language burden is also emphasised by the CRPD: “Sign language is inseparable from d/Deaf people’s human rights. Without sign language, d/Deaf people are not equal.” In conclusion, many initiatives should be taken to advocate d/Deaf people’s social integration in Greco – Roman Wrestling as well as in all sports.

Project Results
Deaf Community

Our Objectives

Amongst the sports, that d/Deaf or hard of hearing people could engage with, is Greco- Roman Wrestling, which is a sport that can enhance their physical and mental health. Likewise, they can wrestle against hearing athletes in mainstream sport competitions, but there are still many barriers to overcome, such as miscommunication due to language mismatch. The significance of the language burden is also emphasised by the CRPD: “Sign language is inseparable from d/Deaf people’s human rights. Without sign language, d/Deaf people are not equal.” In conclusion, many initiatives should be taken to advocate d/Deaf people’s social integration in Greco – Roman Wrestling as well as in all sports. 

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Inclusion and diversity in all fields of education, training, youth and sport.

Contribute to the fight of any form of discrimination and combat those behaviors that may have a negative influence over the practice of sport and society more in general.

Encouraging the practice of sport and physical activity including traditional sport.

Digital dimension: Virtual cooperation and experimentation with virtual learning opportunities.

Greco Roman Wrestling for d/Deaf people

The Online training sessions will cover the following areas:

  • d/Deaf culture
  • d/Deaf Awareness Training for People in Sport and Leisure
  • Effective Communication : Coaching d/Deaf People in Sport

Our Target Groups

online course

The main target groups in this project are: Physical Education Teachers, Interpreters, Deaf Students.

Partner Organizations 1

DEAF_WRESTLE Project is expected to affect the following target groups: Greco – Roman Wrestling professionals, Greco – Roman Wrestling D/Deaf athletes, all sports professionals and athletes, the d/Deaf community, Society/Stakeholders

Deaf Inclusion

Expected impact of deaf_wrestle outside the organisations and individuals directly participating in the project, at local, regional, national and/or European level

Our Target Groups

Inclusion and diversity in all fields of education, training, youth and sport.

The main target groups in this project are: Physical Education Teachers, Interpreters, Deaf Students, thus SportSign can be complementary with the DEAF_WRESTLE project. 

DEAF_WRESTLE Project is expected to affect the following target groups: 

Greco – Roman Wrestling professionals, Greco – Roman Wrestling D/Deaf athletes, all sports professionals and athletes, the d/Deaf community, Society/Stakeholders 

Expected impact of deaf_wrestle outside the organisations and individuals  directly participating in the project, at local, regional, national and/or  European level 

General Questions

Sport brings together all aspects of a diverse society and thereby contributes not only to the development of the individual, but also encourages respect for others. This leads to a greater understanding and the establishment of a more just and inclusive society.  

D/Deaf people participate in sport events and competitions for the d/Deaf such as the Deaflympics, but they have the chance to compete in a mainstream setting, too. Nevertheless, some sports are more deaf-friendly than the others, and they often have to work harder and overcome a number of obstacles that are virtually unknown to the hearing people, for example misinterpretation in coach’s verbal directions and not doing what they were told. These kinds of obstacles make them feel embarrassed and eventually, they decide to quit on sports.  

Amongst the sports, that d/Deaf or hard of hearing people could engage with, is Greco- Roman Wrestling, which is a sport that can enhance their physical and mental health. Likewise, they can wrestle against hearing athletes in mainstream sport competitions, but there are still many barriers to overcome, such as miscommunication due to language mismatch. The significance of the language burden is also emphasised by the CRPD: “Sign language is inseparable from d/Deaf people’s human rights. Without sign language, d/Deaf people are not equal.” In conclusion, many initiatives should be taken to advocate d/Deaf people’s social integration in Greco – Roman Wrestling as well as in all sports. 

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Our Objectives

This policy aims to advance the inclusion of d/Deaf athletes in Greco-Roman wrestling by removing systemic barriers such as communication barriers, discrimination and lack of accessibility. Key recommendations include educating sports professionals on d/Deaf culture and sign languages, creating a multilingual glossary of wrestling terms, ensuring anti-discrimination policies are enforced and funding accessibility aids and interpreters. Another focus is raising awareness through inclusion events and partnerships with d/Deaf organizations. Implementing these measures would ensure that sports organizations and policy makers create an enabling environment for d/Deaf athletes to participate effectively and equally in sport.

Policy Recommendation: Inclusion of d/Deaf Athletes in Greco-Roman Wrestling (in plain language)

Introduction

Inclusive sports policies are crucial for creating a level playing field and allowing participation by individuals with disabilities, including d/Deaf persons. Besides the nature of sports like Greco-Roman wrestling being a healthy form of physical and mental exercise, there exist systemic barriers to participation, such as communication barriers, discrimination, and inadequately structured plans and programs that hamper d/Deaf athletes from participating fully. This policy recommendation presents a set of recommendations to create an enabling environment for the inclusion of d/Deaf athletes in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Key Recommendations (Plain Language)
  1. Train Sports Professionals
    • Teach coaches, referees, and managers about d/Deaf culture and how to communicate better.
    • Include sign language training to improve communication.
  2. Create a Glossary for Communication
    • Make a multilingual glossary of wrestling terms in International Sign and local sign languages.
    • Share the glossary for free online.
  3. Improve Policies in Sports Organizations
    • Enforce rules to stop discrimination against d/Deaf athletes.
    • Require visual signals, interpreters, and other accessibility tools in competitions.
    • Provide funding for interpreters and equipment like hearing protection.
  4. Raise Awareness and Build Community
    • Run campaigns to showcase the achievements of d/Deaf athletes.
    • Organize events where d/Deaf and hearing athletes compete together.
    • Work with d/Deaf organizations to create programs that meet their needs.
  5. Support Policy and Advocacy
    • Create a toolkit to guide sports clubs on including d/Deaf athletes.
    • Involve policymakers in events to promote inclusive sports policies.
    • Get feedback from d/Deaf athletes and coaches to track progress.
Implementation and Monitoring

The successful implementation of this policy recommendation requires the cooperation of key stakeholders. National sports federations, the Ministry of Sport and d/Deaf organizations will lead these initiatives at country level, each contributing their expertise and experience for effective implementation at local, national and international levels. The agencies could provide key elements for coach education, inclusion policy promotion and community engagement. Specific key indicators will be used to determine whether these initiatives have been successful. These key indicators include the number of sports professionals trained in inclusive practices, increased participation of d/Deaf athletes in Greco-Roman wrestling, and the implementation of accessibility standards in sports venues, including visual signals and interpretation services. 

To determine overall stakeholder satisfaction, a survey will be conducted to gage stakeholder satisfaction with each measure, which will provide important stakeholder feedback on how effective these measures are and how they can make an impact.

Conclusion

This recommendation aims to promote the inclusion and equality of d/Deaf athletes in Greco-Roman wrestling. By breaking down these barriers and raising awareness, sports organizations could enable d/Deaf athletes to participate and provide them with a safe environment for meaningful participation. Policy makers and leaders in sport have a unique opportunity to pave the way for sustainable inclusion and ensure that sport can become a valuable tool for empowerment, unity and respect for all.

Policy Recommendation