Denounce Pan Disability
Let us applaud the Deaf International Cricket Council (DICC) for speaking out.
Read its 10-page statement.
Deafness is not just a medical classification — it is a cultural and linguistic identity.
Mixed Pan-Disability cricket creates structural inequality for Deaf players
Community concerns regarding Pan-Disability pathways
Impact on Deaf players’ opportunities
Deaf cricket is a proven international success — not a developmental experiment
Alignment with ICC values and corporate social responsibility
Risks to Deaf cricket sustainability
A constructive way forward
Inspiration on sport impacting life, former President of Switzerland, 2003, Adolf Ogi
Closing statement
Reflection on Ogi and Morrison
Please click the statement above to understand why.
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As you may not know, cricket is the second most popular sport in the world, with an estimated 2.5 billion fans. Here are the top 10 most popular sports, ranked by total number of fans:
Football (Soccer): ~3.5 billion fans
Cricket: ~2.5 billion fans
Field (not Ice) Hockey: ~2 billion fans
Tennis: ~1 billion fans
Volleyball: ~900 million fans
Table Tennis: ~850 million fans
Basketball: ~800 million fans
Baseball: ~500 million fans
Rugby: ~475 million fans
Golf: ~450 million fans
The most popular U.S. sports, ranked, are: 1) Football, 2) Basketball, 3) Soccer, 4) Baseball (sad), 5) Ice Hockey, 6) Auto Racing, 7) Boxing/MMA, and 8) Golf.
Sorry, I know nothing about how to watch cricket. I recall that, while living in Yakima, Washington, from 2012 to 14, I befriended a deaf couple. The husband is a die-hard sports fan of the Seattle Mariners, Seattle Seahawks, and Gonzaga University. His Indian-born wife becomes a “sports” widow when he watches games on television. But it could be the opposite, with him becoming a “cricket” widower while she gets hooked on her laptop to follow the game cast of her favorite cricket teams in India. She is a die-hard cricket fan. (Before her marriage, she was the No. 1 woman in Deaf Chess in India)
After a 128-year absence, cricket is officially returning to the Olympic Games at LA28.
How does a sport become an Olympic sport? The Olympic Charter states that, for acceptance, a sport must be widely practiced by men in at least 75 countries across four continents and by women in at least 40 countries across three continents.
Cricket is not currently an official sport in the Deaflympics. To become a medal event at the Deaflympics, a sport must first be introduced as a demonstration sport. Following this, the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) Executive Board requires that the sport hold a World Championship with participation from at least five ICSD member nations across at least two regions.
The next Deaf International Cricket Council (Cricket World Cup) will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October 24 to 31, 2026.
Here is a photo of the DICC World Cup. The Pakistan Deaf Cricket Association held the 2024 trophy.
The DICC World Cup trophy is 23.6 inches (60 centimeters) tall. It outshines the ICC Men’s World Cup (22.5 in/ 57.15 cm) and the FIFA World Cup (13.5 in / 36.8 cm).
Thanks for reading.