Sheffield footballer funding his own GB Deaflympics dream
Sheffield footballer Joe Dixon is just £100 away from his fundraising target to represent Great Britain at the Deaflympics in Japan, an event not funded by the government.
Joe Dixon, who plays for England’s men’s deaf football team, will fly out next Monday for the international tournament - but he has had to raise the full cost himself.
Unlike the Olympics and Paralympics, the Deaflympics receives no government or lottery funding.
The Deaflympics are separate from the Paralympics, founded in 1924 by deaf athletes to create a cultural as well as sporting event.
Hearing impairment is not included in Paralympic classifications, so deaf athletes can only compete there if they have another eligible disability.
Each athlete on the GB team must raise around £3,200 to cover the tournament, said Joe.
On top of this, travel, kit, accommodation and training camps must be covered.
“It’s hard always asking people for support,” Joe admitted.
“I’m lucky that a lot of donations have come through my own network and the football community. But it does feel tough having to rely on people’s generosity time and time again.”
Joe, who has represented England at the Deaf World Cup and two European Championships, runs YP-Academy, a Sheffield-based football coaching business training over 200 players each week.
Balancing fundraising, work and 25 hours of weekly training has been challenging, but he said he remains as determined as ever.
“I’ve done it for so long now that it’s just second nature - I accept it. Of course, it’s sad that we have to self-fund, but I’m grateful to be supported in other ways by England.
“I’m hungry and ready to go.”
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The Deaflympics, hosted in Japan this year, will bring together 16 teams from across the world.
Strict rules mean players cannot use hearing aids or cochlear implants, and referees use flags instead of whistles.
Teams must develop their own non-verbal communication systems to signal plays and tactics.
“It’s a very tactical game,” Joe explained.
“We can’t use sign language because other teams would understand us, so we create our own codes. We even have to fund our training camps to practice this communication.”
Joe first discovered deaf football at 18 after growing up with hearing parents and attending a mainstream school.
“I didn’t even know this world existed, until I was 18,” he said.
“A deaf player approached me after a game and tried to sign to me - that’s when I realised I needed to learn.”
Now fluent in British Sign Language, he describes joining the deaf football community as “life-changing.”
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“It opened up a whole new world for me.”
Joe said that inspiring young players also spurs him on.
“I’ve had so many kids come up to me and say they look up to me and that is definitely a motivating factor,” he said.
“It’s great there are now more opportunities for young deaf athletes in Sheffield, like the Sheffield Wednesday Deaf FC.”
This will be his first Deaflympics after missing the last one due to work commitments abroad and he is determined to make the most of it.
“It’s the last big tournament on my list, it’ll complete the cycle. It’s been a long road, but I know I’m representing everyone who’s helped get me here,” he added.
The Deaflympics take place over three weeks, with teams competing in a group stage followed by knockout rounds.
Japan is reported to have spent up to £30 million preparing for the event.
For Joe, though, the focus remains simple: “I just can’t wait to get on the pitch. It’s an honour to represent my country, and I want to make everyone who’s supported me proud.”