CSUSOP - Lack Of Happiness By USOPC
“Happiness: the state of being happy” defines Oxford Languages
CSUSOP stands for the Commission of the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics.
The Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020 requires the CSUSOP to analyze the participation in amateur athletics of disabled individuals in the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee program.
The CSUSOP ended its work on September 30 and will fulfill a report to Congress in Spring 2024. However, I am pleading for the CSUSOP to think twice about the Deaflympians’ feelings toward the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
“Officially won my spot for the Paris Olympics 2024!!” Victor Montalvo wrote on Instagram. “History was made and I’m glad I got to be a part of it.”
Suddenly, yesterday, the USOPC ran the article titled “The History of Breaking.”
Breaking in the Olympics????
“Break: separate or cause to separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain” defines Oxford Languages.
What event related to “breaking” in the first Modern Olympics in 1896 in Athens, Greece? Nope.
In that article, the USOPC defines that “It’s an urban dance style characterized by stylized footwork and acrobatic floor moves — once referred to as breakdancing — that’s rooted in the New York City borough of the Bronx.”
Oh, it is a dance!
The World DanceSport Federation currently stands at 94 nations, which met the Olympic Charter indicating that to be accepted, men must widely practice a sport in at least 75 countries and on four continents and women in no fewer than 40 countries and on three continents.
Well, I am happy for these breakdancers globally!
Yesterday, an American weekly magazine, People, published an article about the sport of flag football debuting in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said:
"I definitely want to. But I’ve seen some of those guys play the flag football. They’re a little faster than I am. I know there’s not like linemen blocking for you. I’ll be 31, 32 years old. So if I can still move around then, I’m going to try to get out there and throw the football around maybe in LA."
Flag Football in the Olympics??? Yes, there are currently 75 nations playing this sport, according to the International Federation of American Football (IFAF.) Close call!
Again, I am very happy for these flag football players worldwide.
“CELEBRATE INCLUSION! The United States Olympic Committee has formally changed its name to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee! What a great day to be a para athlete,” exclaimed Deaflympian/Paralympian Becca Meyers on Instagram on June 20, 2019
Meyers meant that the acronym was changed from USOC to USOPC in 2019.
Founded on September 22, 1989, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has 183 nations.
Once again, I am happy for these USA Paralympians, including our Becca Meyers.
Lack of Happiness?
As you probably do not know, the USOPC has yet to recognize “Deaflympics” and support the Deaflympians since the enactment of the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act of 1998 (TSOASA.)
Yeah, during the period between the enactment of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 and the TSOASA, the USOC had some financial help for the American Athletic Association for the Deaf (renamed USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF) in 2000.)
After establishing a Paralympic Division in 2001, the USOC stopped distributing the development fund to the USADSF in 2003.
On July 16, 2003, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives had a hearing regarding the ongoing efforts to reform the USO[P]C. Chairman Cliff Stearns (R-FL) questioned Kirk Bauer, Executive Director of Disabled Sports USA.
Mr. Stearns: Does the organization [Paralympics] you are talking about include people who cannot hear? Is that included in the disabled, hearing loss? Just yes or no.
Mr. Bauer: The Paralympic Games do not include athletes with a hearing impairment.
Mr. Stearns: But you indicated that a person with hearing loss is not part of your----
Mr. Bauer. It is part of the Olympic movement.
Mr. Stearns. But not part of your----
Mr. Bauer. The Federal legislation that established the USOC as the National Paralympic Committee deals with the Paralympics. (Note: Bauer referred to "The Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act of 1998".)
Except for the 1995 USA team bounding for the Winter World Game for the Deaf in Finland, the USA Deaflympians since 1935 have not received one penny from the USOC/USOPC for their expenses to Summer and Winter Deaflympics. It's pretty much different from what the Paralympians got. [The 1995 team got lucky to get full sponsorship from the USOC due to an administrative mistake caused by the USOC.]
“Currently the USOC directly funds both the regular Olympic athletes and the Paralympics. The USOC seems unprepared to support deaf and hard of hearing athletes for participation in the Deaflympics in a manner equal to that which they provide for all other elite disabled athletes who participate in the Paralympic Games. The struggle for parity continues to be at the heart of the USADSF: parity in recognition, funding and athletic opportunities. We have much work to do,” told Former USADSF President Bobbie Beth Scoggins in the 2003 ABILITY Magazine. titled, “Deaflympics ‘Silence is Golden… and Silver… and Bronze’"
“The one thing that is not the same as some countries is that these athletes from the U.S. do not receive funding to participate in the Deaflympics. They must fundraise to pay for their entire trip to Brazil next year to compete,” mentioned in Spectrum News of Austin, Texas on August 7, 2021. Watch its video, titled, “Deaflympics ‘Silence is Golden… and Silver… and Bronze’.”
"We try and ask for sponsorships from the hearing Olympics but they see us as disabled. We’ve asked the Paralympics to be a part of their funding and they say, no, you’re able-bodied."said USA Wrestling Team Director David Nathanson in the Fox9 KMSP News of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota on April 21, 2022. Watch its video, titled “Lack of funding threatens U.S. Deaf Wrestling Team from competing for gold.”
The CSUSOP members should know the following:
The International Committee of Sports of the Deaf members now includes affiliated national sports organizations from 117 countries.
The first Olympic-type games, the International Silent Games, were held in 1924 in Paris, France. The Games was renamed to Deaflymics in May 2001, when the International Olympic Committee approved the word change of "World Games for the Deaf" to "Deaflympics." This Deaf quadrennial event is 36 years older than the first Paralympic Games in 1960.
On his January 31, 2021, issue, The Sports Examiner Editor Rich Perelman wrote that I received an email from Amanda McGrory, the USOPC Archivist and Collections Curator, which reads, “As I’ve mentioned to you previously, we’ve done all that we can and are able to do as it relates to your inquiries about the museum displays. As such, we are considering this matter closed and will be unable to respond to further inquiries from you on this subject.”
On June 22, 2023, I emailed Nitra Rucker, USOPC Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and asked if she had any plans for our future Deaflympians. But I am still waiting to receive her reply.
In his September 10, 1979 news release, the legendary USOC Director of Communication C. Robert Paul, Jr. announced the inaugural meeting of the USOC Handicapped in Sports Committee, which I, as a USOC-appointed member, served with this committee. Paul wrote the following:
“The USOC is gratified at the interest of these [five] national organizations (of the handicapped [now disabled] to join hands for the enhancement of their programs at the national and international levels.”
“F. Don Miller, USOC executive director, promised complete support for the programs under consideration by the Committee. He also predicted taht this Committee would be the catalyst in corrdinationg their sports at various levels of competition, including their own world championships.”
“Kathryn Sallade, a doctorial candidate at the University of Georgia, was temporary chairman fo the newly organized Handicapped in Sports Committee…”
Kathy Sallade [Barcroft] happens to be DEAF!!! Click on her Deaflympics performance. She also coached the USA Deaf swimming team in the 1977 and 1981 Deaflympics.
Since the American Athletic Association of the Deaf was the only one which was controlled by disabled individuals, Kathy, Richard “Dick” Caswell, and Howard Gorrell (me) helped the other four organizations, which were run by non-disabled persons: National Association of Sports for Cerebral Palsy (now National Disability Sports Alliance), National Wheelchair Athletic Association, Special Olympics, and the U.S. Association for Blind Athletes.
Fast forward to today, these four associations have become full USOPC members. At the same time, the USADSF is a lowly USOPC Community-Based Multisport Organization member and is independent of the U.S. Paralympic Committee.
So, I am not happy that the USOPC has still ignored our forgotten Deaflympians since 2003.
