IN CONCLUSION

One of the many guests of the 2nd World Deaf Wrestling Championship was truly special to us: the president of International Committee of Deaf Sports Donalda Ammons. Doctor Ammons had come to Armenia from Bratislava after an exhausting and probably determining ICDS Congress. In Yerevan the first lady of deaflympic movement had no time to rest either. She observed the competitions, consulted the representatives of different countries and did tons of paperwork. In spite of her very busy schedule she had found a moment to give us an interview on the last day of the tournament.

- Doctor Ammons, thank you for finding time for talking to us. I would love to start this serious conversation with a pleasing question. What do you think of Armenia?!
- I had known before where Armenia was located but to tell you the truth that was about it. I can say that this country is amazing and the people are quite unusual. I haven’t regretted coming here, not even for a moment. Armenia will always remain in my memory and my heart. This is the best thing about my work. I get to discover countries I’ve never seen before and meet all kinds of people. I love it!
- Armenia is quite new to the deaflympic movement but a World Championship has already been organized here. How well had that been done?
- When Armenians had applied for hosting the Championship… I’ve got to admit I had been a little concerned. I knew the Grigoryan brothers very well, I knew they would do their best to make this tournament go well. Still, I asked myself if they had enough experience, funds, possibilities?! When the championship was just on the stage of preparation I saw that they had a great team and they had to succeed. When I actually came here and saw the splendor all my doubts had vanished. I think that this tournament had been organized and hosted amazingly well, especially if we remember that this was the first time ever for Armenia.
- You had flown here from Bratislava after an ICSD Congress where interesting decisions on changing the organization’s structure had been made. Could you give us some detail on that?
- This is an important event, indeed, that can push the deaflympic movement to a great evolution. First, we had finally won the right to be called the International Deaflympic Committee. That gives us new possibilities and puts us on one level with the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee. This new situation allows staff increase and making our organization much more active. This brings us to the upcoming structure modifications. Starting from 2009 three new departments will appear in the ICDS. The first one will organize and hold Deaflympic games and work on the development of the whole international sport movement. The second one will be responsible for World Cups and regional tournaments. The third department will concentrate on working with child and youth sport. We are hoping that all the national organizations that are parts of ICDS will make similar changes. Of course, we are ready to help. I think that in several years the deaflympic movement will rise to a different level. We have more reasons to be optimistic than ever.
- Good luck for this great mission! Thank you for the interview.

P.S. This interview with the ICSD President Donalda Ammons is the last one to appear on this website. During this week we did our best to give you the fullest and most interesting info on the 2nd World Championship in Yerevan and do it as efficiently as possible. Judging by the number of people who came to read it we have done that with relative success. Thank you for being with us all along and see you at the next competitions!