Widex supports deaf sports

Widex is sponsoring two annual awards for the best male and the best female athlete in deaf sports respectively.

The awards – ”Widex Sportsman of the Year” and ”Widex Sportswoman of the Year” – are part of Widex’ support for the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), which also stages the Deaflympics.

2007 winners

The 2007 Widex Sportsman of the Year award was won by the 40-year-old badminton player Rajeev Bagga from India, who has not lost a singles match since 1989.

The 2007 Widex Sportswoman of the Year was the swimmer Natalia Deeva from Belarus, who at the latest world deaf championship broke three world records on the same day.

Many years of support

Widex has been supporting deaf sports for many years. In addition to the above-mentioned awards, they also grant a special ”Widex Fair Play Prize” in connection with the Summer Deaflympics, which will take place in Taipei in 2009.

The Deaflympics has existed since 1924 and is equivalent to the Olympic Games and recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In 2005 the Deaflympics in Melbourne attracted over 3500 participants from more than 94 countries.

Only athletes who are deaf or have a hearing threshold of 65 dB in their best ear may participate in the Deaflympics.