Featured events


7-9 September 2012
Brussels Games
Brussels

Brussels Gay Sports will offer a weekend of fun and fairplay in the capital of Europe, with volleyball, swimming, badminton, and tennis, as well as fitness and hiking.

Learn more HERE.
26-28 October 2012
QueergamesBern
Bern, Switzerland

The success of the first edition of the QueergamesBern proved the need for an LGBT multisport event in Switzerland. This year will be even bigger, with badminton, bowling, running, walking, floorball.

Learn more HERE.
17-20 January 2013
Sin City Shootout
Las Vegas
The 7th Sin City Shootout will feature softball, ice hockey, tennis, wrestling, basketball, dodgeball, bodybuilding and basketball.

Learn more HERE.

13-16 June 2013
IGLFA Euro Cup
Dublin
After this year's edition in Budapest at the EuroGames, the IGLFA Euro Cup heads to Dublin for 2013, hosted by the Dublin Devils and the Dublin Phoenix Tigers.

Learn more HERE.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Pre-World Cup interview with president of IGLFA

Klaus Heusslein, president of FGG member organization IGLFA, was interviewed on the subject of homophobia in football on the occasion of the launch of the 2010 Football World Cup.

Why is there still a need for an organisation like IGLFA today?
The IGLFA is the only worldwide GLBT Football organisation. We are not only organising the IGLFA Worldcup, which gives the teams from all over the world the opportunity to challenge each other but we are also trying to help teams and players from continents like Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia to participate in those tournaments through our outreach program. In addition we run the annual IGLFA World Cup which provides teams from all continents the opportunity to enjoy different styles of football as well as nurture the camaraderie inherent in sport.

How have things changed over the years?
Nowadays gay and lesbian teams are participating (especially in Europe and Northern America) in regular championships and some of them are doing this as openly gay teams without ever experiencing any homophobic reactions. Though there are still a lot of countries (even in Europe) in which homophobia is still a big issue.

What work is the IGLFA doing to try to make the mainstream game more gay-friendly and less homophobic?
We're involved in several anti-homophobia projects, such as FARE and the recently formed Justin Campaign. Some of our member teams are trying to integrate straight players into their teams or they participate openly in regular championships and tournaments to make people understand, that we are not that much different. Homophobia is at least partly caused by the fact that the general public has little/no social contact with lesbian and gay people. Bringing people in touch with each other will help to increase understanding and acceptance. In Germany there is the highly successful Come Together Cup which bring teams to play in a competition to show that prejudice of any kind is not acceptable.

Doesn’t having separate tournaments defeat the purpose of integration?
Not at all! We do organise those tournaments but many of them are open for "straight teams". In addition these tournaments are - at least at this moment - the only opportunities for teams from less liberal countries, to live there sexual orientation openly also in a sphere of a sport competition. Organising "gay tournaments" and promoting them in the so-called "normal" mass media; like in 2008 during the IGLFA Worldcup in London, might also attract the attention of the public and can help in that way to change their minds.

Read the full interview HERE.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Really good efforts going on by IGLFA. All of this will make mainstream games more gay friendly.

fastest growing gay social Network