Taiwan secures Deaflympics in 2009

From: Taipei Times, Taiwan - 02 Mar 2003

STAFF WRITER WITH CNA
Sunday, Mar 02, 2003,Page 24

Taiwan has beaten Greece to win the right to host the 2009 Deaflympics, the first time Taiwan has won the right to sponsor the games, according to news from Sweden yesterday.

A delegation comprised of officials from the Chinese Taipei Sports Association of the Deaf and the Taipei City Government won 52 of the 86 effective votes cast on Friday at a specially convened conference in Sundsvall, Sweden.

Association officials said that the biggest rival was Athens, which will host the 2004 Olympics. As most of the delegates attending the conference came from Europe, the voting was especially tense and the Taiwan delegation made good use of its 20-minute briefing to impress the delegates.

The 21st Deaflympics will be held Sept. 5 to Sept. 15 in Taipei, with nearly 10,000 deaf athletes from more than 100 countries competing, the biggest international event in Taiwan's sporting history.

The main thing in favor of Greece's bid was that the 2009 Deaflympics could use the existing venues from the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Taiwan's bid was eventually favored because the Deaflympics has never been held in the Asia-Pacific region and there were a number of financial incentives.

During their final presentation, the Hellenic Athletic Federation of the Deaf upped the ante by promising cash that exceeded Taiwan's offer.

The main offers were free hospitality for the representatives of CISS for four days in the Olympic Athletic Centre, free hospitality for 1,300 athletes from developing countries, plus other incentives.

In its final presentation, Taiwan added a few more financial benefits to their original package, including a gift of US$100,000.

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