Basketball, from a Brussels school team to gold at the Silent Games
Roger Lonnoy (hearing son of the director of the deaf-mute institute of Berchem-Sainte-Agathe), who met Antoine Dresse in 1944, and who was the basketball coach of the institute, played a major role in the development of this sport within the Deaf sport.
The school's team was eventually entered in the able-bodied competitions under the club L.S. Brussels and acquired a very good reputation in the world of hearing basketball.
The sport was introduced to Deaf sport internationally and the national team (with the same school team under L.S. Brussels!) started to perform internationally.
The 6th Silent Games in 1949 was an entry with gold, which was then confirmed at its own 7th Silent Games in 1953. Silver was again won in Milan (1957), but it then became clear that the international competition (with the USA, ....) was improving.
In 1988, the last match was played at the 4th European Championships in Villeurbanne, France.
Victor Van Laer (R.L.S. Brussels) was the only player involved in the 3 medals won.
