Following a competitive tender process, The Value Xchange has been appointed exclusively by UK Deaf Sport and DeaflympicsGB to support the national federation to secure commercial sponsors and partners to provide much needed funding for UK Deaf Sport and DeaflympicGB Team. 

There is a common misconception that deaf athletes compete as part of the Paralympic Games, however, this is not the case. Deaf athletes are not included in any of the Paralympic classifications and so consequently cannot compete unless they have another Paralympic impairment that entitles them to do so. Deaf athletes compete in the Deaflympics, an event that is 100 years old next year and precedes the Paralympics. The Deaflympics is an entirely separate event recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as part of the Olympic family alongside the Olympics, Paralympics and Special Olympics. 

The Government currently discriminates against elite deaf athletes. Unlike every other disability, there is currently no Government funding or support for elite deaf athletes training for and attending the Deaflympics and other European and World deaf sport competitions. UK Deaf Sport therefore currently relies on commercial partnerships and sponsorship. 

Joanne Cholerton, CEO of UK Deaf Sport said: “We are delighted to have appointed The Value Xchange to help us secure new commercial partnerships and sponsorship. There are 12 million people in the UK with some form of deafness, or 1 in 6 of the population, and they are one of the most inactive groups. Due to the current lack of Government funding, these partnerships will be crucial in enabling UK Deaf Sport to inspire and support deaf people to engage in sport and physical activity from grassroots to elite level and send a GB Team to the Deaflympics.” 

David Peters, Founder and Co-Owner of The Value Xchange added: “We are thrilled to be appointed by UK Deaf Sport to support their commercial partnership sales efforts. I was surprised to learn there is currently no government funding or support for talented deaf athletes to compete in competitions so the importance of securing funding from commercial partners is existential to the future of UK Deaf Sport. Deaf Sports profile needs to be raised and their story needs to be told to the business community and it’s our job to get the message out there, demonstrate the value of associating with UK Deaf Sport and secure funding from commercial partners.”