Deaf athletes 'forced' to fund own way to Tokyo Games – Northampton charity demands action

placeholder image — Jenni, Chris and the Deafconnect Team

Each member of Great Britain’s Deaflympics Team must raise £4,000 to compete in the Tokyo Games this November – prompting Northamptonshire charity Deafconnect to call for donations and highlight the inequality and lack of national funding for Deaf athletes.

Jenni Dawkins, Chief Executive of Deafconnect – a charity that supports Deaf and hard of hearing people across the county - said: “Deaf athletes are being forced to fund their own way to the Tokyo Games and yet the UK Government invests over £340 million every four years in Olympic and Paralympic sports. Deaf athletes are being excluded from this funding because deafness is not classed as a qualifying disability for the Paralympics. We think this is wrong.

“Sport has the power to transform lives – to build confidence, connection and self-worth. But once again, Deaf people are being sidelined and left behind. One in six people in the UK are Deaf or hard of hearing, yet they’re excluded from the public investment that backs Olympic and Paralympic athletes. It’s discrimination, plain and simple – and it cannot be allowed to continue.”

Lauren Rotin, a Northampton-based British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter, is among those urgently fundraising to join the team in Tokyo. She said: “Deaf athletes are being overlooked again and again”. Last year, UK Deaf Sports campaigned for fairness, asking the government for £3 million to support Deaf athletes across five sporting disciplines. UK Sport acknowledged the frustration of Deaf athletes, but were unable to offer any financial support.”

Deafconnect team member Chris Naylor, who won football gold at the 2005 Deaflympics in Australia, added: “Sport empowers people, it gives them a sense of belonging and pride. Deaf athletes deserve the right to represent their country internationally, just like anyone else. But they face barriers others don’t – without financial support, many will be forced to stay home.”

The Fair Play for Deaf Athletes campaign, led by UK Deaf Sport, continues to highlight these inequalities – but for the 2025 athletes, time is running out.

Keira How, a member of the Great Britain Deaf Football Team, said: “It would be a dream to compete in Tokyo, but the pressure of fundraising is overwhelming. Without support, that dream may be out of reach.”

Genevieve O’Hara, another Deaflympics hopeful, added: “It’s incredibly frustrating. We want to proudly represent our country – but instead of training, we’re spending our time begging for funding.”

Deafconnect’s Jenni added: “We wholeheartedly support the Deaflympics movement and urge anyone who believes in fairness in sport to support these incredible athletes. Donate now and let's get these incredible athletes to Tokyo.”