John Amaechi interview in Towelroad

John Amaechi at the opening of the Against the Rules exhibition at Gay Games VIII

From a wide-ranging interview in Towelroad, an extract about Gay Games VIII.

Steve Pep: You were [a] Gay Games Ambassador in Cologne this year. What was that experience like for you?

John Amaechi: Originally, not much, just a responsible thing to do. My experience at the Gay Games this year was. however, revelatory. I met the scholarship athletes who had been sponsored by the FGG to come to the games, from South Africa, Peru, Mexico, all over Eastern Europe, I heard their stories of oppression, derision, marginalisation and all to often physical abuse and intimidation. It was humbling to hear about their daily, struggle and it put "the plight" of gay, professional athletes in the west into perspective. I never had it so tough.

Also, I spend very little time around gay people in my daily work life. Most of my gay friends are dotted around the States and I have seen them infrequently in the last year, but being in Cologne around athletes who take sport as seriously as I once did, made me feel a great regret that my experience playing basketball wasn’t as rich as theirs clearly is now. I met many of the English football teams while there and am hoping they will adopt me, they were a blast to hang out with...I have made several resolutions since being at the gay games: to play more basketball, find a gay team to play with from time to time (not my own club, that just feels weird) and spend more time with my current friends and making new ones.