User:JUE6/DIBF

Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) is a world governing body for international deaf basketball with the recognition of Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) and International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD). The DIBF is a non-profit organisation, founded of the national deaf sports federations and national deaf basketball association and his headquarters is based in Heidelberg (Germany).

The DIBF Headquarters was in Stockholm, Sweden from 2002 to 2015 and has been in Heidelberg, Germany since 2015.

The Central Board consists of the President, Vice-President, Secretary General, Treasurer, Board members and all four Zone Presidents and administers the DIBF according to the General Statutes and Internal Regulations.

Since 2016 all four complete zones have existed: DIBF Africa (since 2016), DIBF Americas (since 2012), DIBF Asia-Pacific (since 2012) and DIBF Europe (since 2016).

Presidents

 * 2002–2007: Jusso Raisiu (FIN)
 * 2007–2011: Lyndon Borrow (GBR)
 * 2011–2019: Aleksas Jasiunas (LTU)
 * since 2019: Ioannis Stoufis (GRE)

Secretaries General

 * 2002–2015: Kjell Gunna (SWE)
 * since 2015: Jürgen Endress (GER)

Since 2002 the DIBF organizes the World Deaf Basketball Championships for Men and Women.

== World Championships for Men and Women ==


 * 2002: Athens, Greece
 * 2007: Guangzhou, China
 * 2011: Palermo, Italy
 * 2015: Taoyuan, Chinese Taipei
 * 2019: Lublin, Poland
 * 2023: Heraklion, Greece

In addition to numerous organisational work, the DIBF promotes the growth and development of deaf basketball in all nationals of the world through an organised education and teaching program. The DIBF also maintains the documented history of Deaf basketball by recording and reporting on all major international competitions from the beginning of international competitions to the present day.

History
The sport of basketball has grown in popularity among elite Deaf athletes around the world. Several international and national basketball competitions have been held for several years as part of the International Sports Organisation for the Deaf called Deaflympics. Since 1949 the Deaflympics winners in basketball have been determined for the men and since 1981 for the women. The International Sports Organisation for Deaf Athletes (ICSD) has a long and rich history in the field of Deaf sports since it was founded in 1924. It is the oldest of the international organisations for disabled sports.

On 2 May 1998, in Turku, Finland, a group of respected Deaf athletes involved in basketball gathered and recommended the establishment of a World Basketball Federation for the Deaf so that it could focus entirely on the sport of basketball able to focus Deaf people and improve their standards. From this meeting the "International Deaf Basketball Association" (IDBA) was founded and the first IDBA constitution with statutes and regulations was passed. The IDBA began educating other Deaf people about its creation and invited organisations interested in Deaf basketball around the world to join.

Four years later, the Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) was officially founded by the first congress with a two-thirds majority of representatives of the National Deaf Sports Federations who practice basketball for the Deaf, and elected a new board from different parts of the world. The congress took place on 20 July 2002 in Athens, Greece.

The name IDBA was changed to DIBF for more corporate visibility and comprehensiveness.

International Recognition
At the congress of the International Committee of Deaf Sports (ICSD, also known as Deaflympics), during the Winter Games in Sundsvall, Sweden, in 2003, the ICSD Congress decided the DIBF officially recognised as an associate member. The DIBF has obtained an associated membership in the ICSD and can henceforth organize independently for the execution of the international basketball sport of the Deaf as well as work the development of Deaf basketball all over the world.

In 2011 the Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) recognised the DIBF as the world basketball federation for the Deaf, anchored it in its FIBA General Statutes and supports the organisation of the DIBF. As a result, the DIBF has continued to grow significantly and the standards for Deaf basketball have increased in awareness and visibility.

Weblinks

 * Official Website

Individual evidence

 * DIBF General Statutes and Internal Regulations