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.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Commonwealth Games "innovates" by having athletes in stadium for Opening Ceremony

I am surprised that this is not standard practice at such events. I don't recall a Gay Games where the participants spent the opening ceremony outside the stadium...

By the way, the motto for these Games is "Come out and play". Hmmm....

From InsideTheGames:


September 30 – Athletes at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony will march into Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium ahead of the display before sitting down to enjoy the entire spectacle for the first time ever. The procedure was first seen at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Singapore last month and the move of putting athletes at the heart of the event has clearly not gone unnoticed in Delhi.

Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Michael Fennell said: "Both the CGF and the Organising Committee have agreed that the emphasis of the Opening Ceremony must be on the athletes of the Commonwealth, allowing them to be the focus of attention. "The Games are about the athletes, the ceremony recognises the commencement of the Games, so it is appropriate that the athletes are honoured in this way."

Dignitaries attending the ceremony include Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Prince Charles and the Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi. Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex who is the vice patron of the CGF, will also be present as will Fennell and controversial CGF chief executive Mike Hooper.

The Queen’s Baton is set to arrive at the stadium at 8.26pm having completed a 170,000 kilometre journey across the Commonwealth’s 71 nations and territories. The baton will be received by the Prince of Wales who will read the Queen’s message before the President of India delivers her address to signal the commencement of the Games.

Welsh bowler Robert Weale, who boasts an impressive collection of Commonwealth Games medals, told insidethegames: "I think it’s going to be quite a different experience. "In previous Games, we’ve been waiting in holding areas and, as Wales, we’re quite often last to go in.Sometimes, I’ve got back home to Wales and watched the DVD! So it’ll be a great opportunity to see the ceremony itself. I think Delhi will bring something special to the event too. It will be so different culturally - I’m expecting lots of colour as well as Bollywood dance and music."

Kate Walsh, captain of the England women’s hockey team, added: "The opening ceremony will be a fantastic spectacle and it will be so great to be sitting there watching the entire thing. "I hear this is going to be an amazing opening and I’m really looking forward to it."

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