History

History of Eugène RUBENS-ALCAIS

17/06/09

The life story of Eugène Rubens-Alcais, Founder of the FSSF, the ICSD and the Deaflympics.

Born in 1884, it had for first name Eugène-Rubens; this last first name was afterward attached to its name and so was trained the name of RUBENS-ALCAIS under which it is since known.

Become deaf, he entered as pupil in 1893 the Protestant institution of Saint-Hyppolyte-du-Fort. After his studies, he rose to Paris to join his family.

Very early he was interested in the sport. During his leisure activities he devoted to cycle hikes) with his deaf companions and it was one of the inspirators of the creation of the first sports club of bike for deaf persons in 1889.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the various sports developed at the deaf person's particularly the football and the athletics.

In 1911, this cyclist's club became the club for all the sports: sports club of the Deaf-mutes of Paris.

He was followed by many others in Paris and in province but the French clubs a body capable missed of assuming the coordination and the refereeing at the national level.

It was Eugène who threw the idea of a sports federation of the deaf-mutes of France and it was based in 1918.

Soon raised the problem of the organization of the international matches. It is still Eugène RUBENS-ALCAIS's merit, and by him of France, to have grown to the creation of an international committee of the sport for deaf persons.

In 1924, favor in particular to Eugène, took place the first silent international games. Five events were competed there. These games were henceforth to be renewed every four years.

The same year of 1924, at the conclusion of the first games, was created the international committee of the silent sports, with as president Eugène RUBENS-ALCAIS. This one will remain in our history deaf Pierre COUBERTIN.

Eugène had many other activities. He was also guiding of the newspaper the Newspaper of the Deaf-mutes.

He always lived in a relative poverty and so he died in 1963. These various activities did not enrich him and it is a motive furthermore to honor its memory.