Biography Of Valery Rukhledev - 2005 CISS/Deaflympics President-Candidate

From: Valery Rukhledev - Dec 14, 2004

press release

BIOGRAPHY OF VALERY RUKHLEDEV - 2005 CISS/DEAFLYMPICS PRESIDENT-CANDIDATE

Moscow, Russia - In the past several weeks and days many media organizations, leaders and ordinary citizens all over the world have been continuing to request the information by wanting to know more about the background of Mr. Valery Rukhledev, the 2005 CISS/Deaflympics presidential candidate.

Here are highlights of Mr. Rukhledev's storied life as an accomplished athlete and comprehensive deaf leader and administrator of local, national and international stature ( a photo is also attached herewith ):

* Born in 1948 in the city of Krasnoyarsk, the Soviet Union ( now the Russian Federation );
* Attended Schools for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in the cities of Novokuznetsk and Odessa;
* Recipient of the advanced college degree in the field of Physical Education which was earned from the State Pedagogical University in the city of Odessa;
* Was the world's most unique and versatile athlete - both among the deaf and hearing people ?as he excelled in four different disciplines of wrestling:

Judo - two-time silver medalist of European championships for juniors and youth among the hearing; champion of the Soviet Union among the hearing; champion of Europe among the hearing; gold medalist of international tournaments among the hearing held in Germany, Poland ( two times ), Spain, Great Britain ( two times ), Italy, Japan and Hungary; candidate for the Soviet Union Olympic team for the Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, in 1976.

Sambo - champion of the Soviet Union for juniors among the hearing ( at the age of 15 ); three-times champion of the Soviet Union among the hearing.

Free style - champion of international tournament for juniors in Bulgaria ( at the age of 16 ); three-time gold medal winner of the Deaflympic Summer Games in 1969, 1973 and 1977; many times champion of the Soviet Union among the deaf.

Greco-Roman - three-time gold medal winner of the Deaflympic Summer Games in 1969, 1973 and 1977; many times champion of the Soviet Union among the deaf.

* Founder of the Russian Sports Union of the Deaf;
* Soviet Union?s and Russia?s delegate to the CISS Congress sessions between 1987 and 2003;
* European Deaf Sports Organization Board Member since 1987;
* Promoter and organizer of the Soviet Union and Russian championships in more than 20 different sports among adults and juniors, each;
* Promoter and organizer of the European championships in athletics, free style and Greco-Roman wrestling, orienteering and volleyball;
* Promoter and organizer of the 12th IMAFD World Championships in Martial Arts;
* Head of delegations of the Soviet Union and Russia at various Deaflympic Summer and Winter Games, European championships and other international meets since 1987;
* Was named by the CISS International Selections Commission as one of the top ten Deaflympic Games Athletes of the Century in 2001;
* Recipient of the Diploma and Certificate from the International Olympic Committee;
* The only deaf candidate to run for a political office position in Russia - Member of the Duma Parliament - in 1999;
* President of the Russian Deaflympic Committee;
* President of the VOG ( National Association of the Deaf ) since 2003;
* Secretary of the World Federation of the Deaf Secretariat for Eastern Europe and Central Asia;
* Recipient of many governmental and state awards, including the Peter the Great Medal received recently;
* Married and father to the two grown up children;
* A book in Russian about life of Mr. Rukhledev was recently published and released in Moscow ( this book was instantly sold out and now it is in a second printing); the English version of such a book will be published soon.