Pioneers and Leaders

Eugène Rubens-Alcais

Antoine Dresse

The early pioneers of the international deaf sports movement were Eugène Rubens-Alcais of France and Antoine Dresse of Belgium.

Eugène Rubens-Alcais (1884-1963) was an auto mechanic by profession and a competitive cyclist who came to be known as the deaf version of Baron de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympics. Rubens-Alcais developed his vision of international games for the deaf, patterned on the modern Olympics, as he led the Paris Sports Club for Deaf Mutes and founded the French Deaf Mute Sports Federation (now the French Deaf Sports Federation, FSSF). He promoted the idea in his deaf sports magazine, The Silent Sportsman. A brilliant man of modest habits who lived in a sparsely furnished and simple attic apartment, a mansard, while he passionately pursued his vision, Mr. Rubens-Alcais gave all his time and what he had in working for deaf people and deaf sports. He led his growing deaf sports movement as the President of CISS from its founding in 1924 until 1953. He died 10 years later.

Antoine Dresse (1902-1998) came from a family of bankers and industrialists in Liege, Belgium. He followed his family tradition and rose to the top of a brokerage firm. He was also a runner and a tennis player and shared the vision of Rubens-Alcais. Together, the two men worked tirelessly to realize their dream. Dresse became the founding Secretary-General of CISS. He held this post for 43 years until he retired in 1967. For more than a half a century he was a driving force behind deaf sports in Belgium, as well. He won a bronze medal in the 400 meters at the 1928 games, and a total of eight medals in tennis in 1928, 1931, 1935 and 1939.

The traditions created by the founders were strengthened over the years by men and women who shared the passion for sports competition and for the establishment of a sense of identity within the world-wide deaf community. The members of this exclusive group of outstanding leaders share a background of lifelong commitment and leadership in their national as well as international deaf sports organizations.