Combat Sports: judo, karate, taekwondo at the Deaflympic Games from 2009-2022

Background and Study Aim: The Deaflympic Game are an international multi-sporting event held for athletes who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (D/HoH). In recent years, various combat sports such as karate, judo, and taekwondo have been added to the Deaflympics. Combat sports are significant for the D/HoH community as they promote fall prevention, physical fitness, discipline, and self-confidence while also supporting psychosocial development. Despite the inclusion of martial arts in the Deaflympics, no literature exists regarding the performance and results of combat sports in the Deaflympic Games. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to discuss judo, karate, and taekwondo performance and results from 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2022 during the Deaflympic summer games. Material and Methods: All data utilized was publically available through the official website of the International Committee of Sport for the Deaf. Results by weight class, number of participating countries, year of birth, and country data were extracted. Several athletes had participated in more than one Deaflympic Games and in some cases, competed in different weight categories therefore, each athlete's competition performance was treated individually. Outcomes of interest included medal winning frequency (index M) and points winning frequency (index P). Results: Regarding Judo competition, the review demonstrates that the most successful Deaflympic athletes are from Russia and Ukraine. Russia and Iran produced the most successful athletes for Deaflympic karate competition while Korea and Turkey yielded the most successful athletes in Taekwondo. Conclusions: The countries with the most success in combat sports resulted likely from each countries strong national programs, high level of competition, and cultural emphasis on the respective combat sport. Future research should consider biomechanical analyses and mental health considerations for athletes who are D/HoH who participate in combat sports relative to athletes who are hearing.