Rebecca Foster
University of Worcester, United Kingdom

Stuart Harrison
Honorary Vice President of United Kingdom Deaf Sport

The aim of the presentation is to share the most up to date landscape of English Deaf sport.
Few authors have captured the debates as to where UK Deaf sport sits, whether they should be incorporated into the Paralympics or remain promoting and growing deaf culture and opportunity through the Deaflympics.
The blend between a hearing academic who has worked in several Deaflympics as a coach, and a deaf researcher – Rebecca Foster). Stuart Harrison, Director of Deaf & Hearing Trailblazers and Vice President of UK Deaf Sport, piece together a new narrative about the frustrations and challenges the deaf community face in grassroots to elite sport. 
The authors have consulted past and present UK Deaf Sport coaches and board members to compile a true reflection of the inconsistence of equitable and equal sport that they face.
How Deaf Sport is governed in the UK?
There is the National Governing Body and charity for all deaf sport and physical activity in the UK.
It was established in June 2003 and now it is a member of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) and European Deaf Sports Organisation.
In the beginning, UK Sport had a no compromise policy and that was to fund the best medal winning prospects and therefore there was no access.
There was no funding from UK Sport until 2008 and year later, “No Compromise’ policy softened, but still not deaf-inclusive.
Now, in response to the Government strategy, UK Sport created its own equality and diversity inclusion strategy, called “power of the difference”.
UK Deaf sport only receives funding from Sport England.  Other Home Nations have devolved funding (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland).
Considering research there are now few key themes that are discussed in scientific community: 1) The value of those involved in deaf sport, 2) Effective communication, 3) Links between hearing and deaf sport; and 4) Funding.

Translation of text into PJM in video format: