USOPC CEO Said Nothing About Deaflympics-!!
Finally, the Sports Business Journal (SBJ) published a statement in response to the 277-page Final Report of the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics.
Read “Hirshland: USOPC won’t wait on Congress to create change.” (Only three free subscriptions a month)
Look at the picture below. Wearing a white with black lines blazer, Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the United States Olympic and Paralympics Committee (USOPC), listened carefully to USA Deaf Sports Federation President Jeff Mansfield testifying before the Commission on the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics (CSUSOP) at the hearing in Washington DC on September 6, 2023.
President Mansfield told the CSUSOP Commissioners:
“The first relates to access and compliance. While it is true that deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes can and do take part in the Olympics and Paralympics, the USOPC only tracks categories of disability that are covered under the Paralympics, and deafness is excluded.”
“Neither the Amateur Sports Act nor the U.S. Copyright Office recognized the term "Deaflympics" as the ICSD's intellectual property, even though the IOC has granted ICSD the right to use this term. This creates a double injustice, in which the USOPC provides zero funding to the U.S. Deaflympic program and we are precluded from pursuing a wide swath of sponsor funding.”
“Deaflympic medalists are also excluded from [USOPC] Operation Gold awards”
“I urge for the insertion of the Deaflympics into the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act and to USOPC's mandate and for the investment in Deaflympians.”
What CEO Hirshland told the SBJ:
“With the amount of time and the practical realities of getting anything to happen in the government, it would be irresponsible of me to sit back and hope. We’re going to work on the things we can influence.”
“A lot of this makes a lot of sense because they’re wrestling with and writing about and talking about issues we’ve been talking about.”
Sadly, she had nothing to say about the Deaflympics to the SBJ.
However, Hirshland personally emailed me on April 19, 2023:
“While I am a huge advocate for adaptive sport, my focus is on the Paralympics and advancing the US Paralympic Movement. I’m encouraged that the commission [CSUSOP] is hearing from the USADSF. I know they are well aware of the fragmentation and resource challenges that plague sport in our country and I’m hopeful they might find some ideas to help.”
Hirshland had a quick meeting with then USADSF Board Member Jeff Mansfield (R) and the former USADSF CEO Jameson “Jim” Crane (L) in the 2018 USOPC Assembly. On the USADSF Facebook page on September 24, 2018, Crane wrote, “We look forward to continuing to strengthen our ties with the U.S.O.[P].C. to advance EQUITY for deaf athletes in sport.”
Six years later (March 1, 2024), the CSUSOP, in the Final Report, decided not to recommend Congress to amend the Deaflympics into the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act. But the CSUSOP has a weak recommendation - read it in the picture below.
When should the new bill be drafted and legislated?
The SBJ reminds the readers that the USOPC could enact several CSUSOP recommendations by itself. The other recommendations must require congressional action. So the SBJ “contacted several lawmakers who have taken an interest in these issues, but none was available for an interview.” The SBJ has cautioned the readers with the following:
With the USOPC and national governing bodies looking ahead to the Paris Games this summer, politicians could use that as a platform to propose legislation. Changes that don’t rely on Congress to act might not get full consideration until the Olympic and Paralympic assembly, which has been pushed back to November because of the Games.
“We’re cautiously optimistic right now,” said Han Xiao, co-chair of the CSUSOP commission. “We’re really encouraged that because of our really bipartisan process, that’s being reflected in bipartisan interest in Congress to be able to draft legislation. We understand it’s an election year. The window is short to be able to get anything done.”
Quick Question: How soon will the USOPC ensure that the USADSF can use the US of trademarked words, such as Deaflympics”?