USADSF Blue Ribbon Committee Created
Committee will focus on making recommendations for course of action against the USOC
SIOUX FALLS, SD February 1, 2010 To address the issue of equality and full recognition of deaf and hard of hearing athletes in the United States, the USADSF has created a Blue Ribbon committee, led by Games Preparation Committee chairperson William Bowman to recommend the course of action the USADSF should take on the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
The selected members of the Blue Ribbon committee are:
Shirley Platt, U.S. Deaf Basketball Commissioner
Billy Hunter, Esq., President of NBA Players Association
Dr. Bobbie Beth Scoggins, NAD President and former USADSF President
Dr. Jay Innes, Dean of College of Professional Studies and Outreach, Gallaudet University.
Jack Higgins, Parent of a Deaflympian
Nancy Higgins, Esq., Bechtel
Kelby Brick, Esq., Vice President for Regulatory and Strategic Policy, Purple Communications
Howard Gorrell, Sports Advocate
Fred Weiner, Special Assistant, Gallaudet University
Out of the 97 member countries of International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), the U.S. is one of a few other countries that do not fully fund their teams to attend both the Summer and Winter Deaflympics.
The goal of the USADSF as an organization is to embrace partnership opportunities with USOC and for the USOC to include the Deaflympics as part of their focus, thus fully funding the U.S. Team to participate in both the Summer and Winter Deaflympics.
The collective areas of expertise of the members of the Blue Ribbon committee will help identify an effective approach to the long standing issue and recommendation(s) that will steer USADSF in the right direction. The committee is expected to meet up to no more than 6 weeks and they will, at the conclusion of the committee work, asked to make a recommendation to the USADSF Board.
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To obtain more information, please contact Communications & Media Specialist Chris Kaftan at kaftan@usdeafsports.org.
About USADSF
USADSF is the only national athletic association in the United States that coordinates the participation of American deaf and hard of hearing individuals in international sport competitions. The Federation is affiliated with the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) and has hosted the Summer Deaflympics in 1965 (Washington, DC) and 1985 (Los Angeles), and the Winter Deaflympics in 1975 (Lake Placid, NY) and 2007 (Salt Lake City). The Games Preparation Committee, a standing committee of the Federation, coordinates with the Executive Board and each National Sport Organization to organize and prepare U.S. teams for the Deaflympics, Pan-American Deaf Sports Organization (PANAMDES) Games and World Championships.
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