The athlete experience

Konstantin Yablonskiy, Dagmar Zeige, Karl-Heinz Schmitz, Georg Uecker

As a co-chair of the FGG Sports Committee, I had the pleasure of attending one of the daily Gay Games VIII press conferences at the Netcologne Stadium press center. The theme of the day was “sport”, and Games Cologne’s sports directors, Dagmar Zeige and Karl-Heinz Schmitz were present, along with an athlete representative, Konstantin Yablotskiy of Russia, accompanied by Games Cologne scholarship ambassador Georg Uecker.

Konstantin spoke of his delight at winning a gold and a silver medal in figure skating, of his pleasure in discovering an event that represents high standards in sport, but which at the same time offers innovative forms of competition, largely thanks to the strong partnership between the host, the FGG and its member governing body (in this case, the IGFSU), and a progressive international governing body (ISI for Gay Games figure skating).

Konstantin also discussed the evolution of his own attitudes thanks to his Gay Games experience. Before coming, he was out to few people. He stated that when he returns to Russia, if asked where he has been, thanks to the courage his experience in Cologne has generated, he will be able to say with pride that he was at the Gay Games, where he competed against other athletes, gay and straight, and won two medals.