Fw: Response to Messrs. Nikolov and Bozev.

From: FW'd to Deaf Today by unknown - Oct 24, 2005

For translation of this letter in your native language, please visit http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/tr

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October 24, 2005

Nikolay Nikolov, President
Nikolay Bozev, Executive Director
Bulgarian Deaf Sports Federation

Dear Messrs. Nikolov and Bozev,

Today I received a copy of your letter from someone, which you sent to the CISS/Deaflympics Nation-Members on October 19, 2005 and which was related to my October 17, 2005 e-mail letter to the IOC.

In the interests of freedom of speech, democracy and free communication exchange, I wish you both also sent a copy of your letter directly to me on October 19th. But, you both did not do so! I been following this long enuff to know what's going on from an independent perspective and therefore I show no bias and know nothing but the truth of this matter.

Let me again remind you that I am a lifelong fighter for just and equal rights of every deaf citizen everywhere. I am also a strong proponent of law and order. Did you receive and read my recent DREN ( Deaf Rights Equal Now ) letter which was e-mailed to all CISS Nation-Members on October 20, 2005?

"Deaf WAI And The Spooky CISS Leadership" http://groups.msn.com/DREN-DeafRightsEqualNow/deafgames.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=1685&LastModified=4675543781367603702

Before posing to you some questions, let me refresh you the historical past, which is specifically related to your Bulgarian team's and athlete's participations and their sudden disqualifications at the Deaflympics.

Let me present you the two historical facts happened in 1977 and 1993.

1. Bulgaria's Men's Volleyball Team

At the 13th Deaflympic Summer Games held in Bucharest, Romania, this team won a silver medal, but, later on, at the strong urging of Jerald Jordan of the USA, the team was disqualified because the team violated a CISS rule.

2. Ivan Getzov

The same Jerald Jordan, the then CISS President, created another painful experience for the Bulgarian leaders and spectators who witnessed the Deaflympic Summer Games wrestling matches held in your native Sofia in 1993. Your favorite and well-known athlete-wrestler - Ivan Getzov - was denied the right to receive his bronze medal because he violated a certain CISS rule.

I have at a specific location a videofilm clip demonstrating how Jordan harshly treated Ivan Getzov and the Bulgarian public during the medal ceremony of the 1993 Games.

Were you both aware of these 2 unpleasant facts, were not you?

Now, let me pose to you the five ( 5 ) questions:

1. Before the start of the 39th CISS Congress on January 3, 2005, did the USA pay its $10,000 penalty fee to the CISS for withdrawal of its 2 teams ( $5,000 for men's and $5,000 for women's ) from the 2003 Deaf World Team Tennis Championships held in Austria?

2. Again, before January 3, 2005, did the USA pay its certain penalty fee to the CISS for withdrawing of its team from the Deaf World Championships in Wrestling held in your native city of Sofia in October, 2004?

3. Did Israel pay before January 3, 2005, its $12,500 penalty fee to the CISS for withdrawing as a host of the 2003 Deaf World Championships in Orienteering ( $5,000 ), for withdrawing of its football team from 2005 Deaflympics Qualification Round ( $2,500 ) and basketball team from the 2005 Deaflympics Final Round ( $5,000 )?

4. Since you both were your country's delegates at the 39th Congress, who was the person to run the elections for all five Executive positions on the floor on January 4, 2005?

5. Was it a democratic and fair way to appoint one scrutineer from the USA - Ed Ingham at the Congress election session when another person from the USA - Donalda Ammons and the Russian Valery Rukhledev where competing for the Presidency position? Yes or No?

By the way, the CISS rules clearly state that if any country fails to fully meet its financial obligations before the CISS in timely manner, therefore, all of this country's leaders are forbidden to be permitted to participate in any elective and appointed position in the CISS administration plus its athletes are not allowed to compete at the Games at any cost?

Are you aware of these rules, are not you?

In the event you will not be able to answer the above 5 questions and produce documentary proofs, then it will continue to be my position that Ammons of the USA ( as Deaflympics President ), David Lanesman of Israel ( as Deaflympics Vice President ), Jordan of the USA ( as Deaflympics Honorary Member ) and Tiffany Granfors of the USA ( as Deaflympics Executive Director ) currently occupy these respective positions illegally and unconstitutionally!

Also, after reading of this letter, you may now realize that Ammons and Jordan demonstrate and practice a double-standard approach in the CISS/Deaflympics politics.

That is, in 1977 and 1993 you, the Bulgarians, violated CISS rules and, as a result, your volleyball team and one wrestler were disqualified, on the one side.

On the other side, this year Ammons' and Jordan's own country violated the CISS rules and the two are still left unpunished or got disqualified - and they are allowed to get involved in the top CISS positions!

Is this a fair and just game?

Finally, I hope to receive your letter with your answers soon. I do also hope that you both can justify your words you wrote in your October 19 letter,

"WE KNOW VERY WELL THAT THE ELECTION WAS EXECUTED IN A DEMOCRATIC WAY AND IN A STRICT ACCORDANCE WITH THE DEAFLYMPICS RULES"
( please re-read the contents of your letter below ).

Sincerely Yours,

Richard Roehm
Civil Rights Advocate for the Deaf
Santa Ana, California, USA

P.S. I am also sending this letter to Mr. Bourquin of the IOC and Ms Granfors of the Deaflympics Home Office because I believe everyone should be treated fairly, equally and in timely manner.
( SEE BELOW LETTER BY MESSRS. NIKOLOV AND BOZEV )

-----Original Message-----
From: BDSF [mailto:bdsf@internet-bg.net]
Sent: 19 October 2005 02:46 PM
To: Zambia; USA; Turkey; Tukmenistan; Tiffany Granfors; Taiwan; Switzerland; Sweden; Spain; SOUTH AFRICA; Slovenia; Slovakia; SINGAPORE; Senegal; Saudi Arabia; Russia; Romania; Portugal; Poland; PHILIPPINES; Pakistan; NORWAY; Nigeria; New Zealand; NETHERLANDS; Moldova; Mexico; Malta; Malaysia; Macedonia; Lithuania; Latvia; Korea; Kenya; Kazakhstan; KAZAKHSTAN; Japan; Italy; Israel; Isabel Malaurie; Ireland; IRELAND; India; ICELAND; Hungary; Hong Kong; hellas; GUINEA; Great Britain; Ghana; Germany; France; Finland; Estonia; Emmanuel Sohou ; Ekaterina Klimova; Dogan Özdemir; Denmark; DENMARK; Cuba; Croatia; China; Chile; Chehia; CANADA; Brazil; Belgium; Bangladesh; Azerbaijan; Austria; Australia; Armenia; Argentina; ALGERIA; Albania
Subject: In support of Deaflympics

TO ALL DEAFLYMPICS

MEMBERS

Dear Deaflympics members,

On October 17, 2005 we received an e-mail letter from Mr. Richard Roehm (a Civil Rights Advocate for the Deaf Santa Ana, California, USA), which also was sent to IOC. Bulgarian Deaf Sports Federation would like to inform you that categorically deny this letter in which are made allegations in connection with the Deaflympics President and Board elections during the recent 39th Congress in Australia. According to Mr. Roehm all members of the Board and especially Dr. Ammons “were elected to the top positions during the recent 39th CISS/Deaflympics Congress in Australia in a highly-questionably, dishonest, corrupt and fraudulent manner”.

BDSF is feeling oblige to declare that these allegations are a pure lie, which only aim to stir up trouble in the ranks of Deaflympics. We are indignant and categorically reject this calumny. All of us took part and were witnesses during the election for President and Board of Deaflympics. We know very well that this election was executed in a democratic way in a strict accordance with the Deaflympics rules.

In the name of development of the sport among the deaf people, Bulgarian Deaf Sports Federation appeal to all Deaflympics members to reject the Mr. Roehm’s allegations and send a letter of support by fax to the end of October to Deaflympics Executive Director – Mrs. Tiffany Granfors, who have to visit Lausanne for meeting with IOC.

We believe, that all of you will respond to this appeal!

Best Regards,

Nikolay Nikolov

BDSF President

Nikolay Bozev

Executive Director