EGLSF confirms EuroGames 2012 Budapest

A message from the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF) on the status of the relations between the EGLSF and FRIGO for the 2012 EuroGames in Budapest:

As most of you will know, at the EGLSF Annual General Assembly in March in Frankfurt, Germany, the EGLSF Board established a Control Committee for the period from 7 March to 21 May. During this period, the Committee was to gather information about the viability of the EuroGames based on actual progress between March and May and also on an assessment of subsequent plans for delivery of EuroGames from end of May 2011.

Members of the Committee scrutinised information produced by FRIGO and provided advice about the nature and level of information to be provided to EGLSF Board. Following its meeting in Budapest this weekend, the EGLSF Board is satisfied that the information gathered during this period by members of the Committee and presented to the Board shows enough progress and realistic planning to give FRIGO a chance to deliver a successful EuroGames in Budapest 2012.

The Board has agreed with FRIGO that, to ensure the greatest chance of success in delivering a Budapest EuroGames 2012, an Advisory Group be formed. This Advisory Group is to be made up of invited EGLSF members and representatives of international LGBT sports organisations who can provide advice and guidance on the delivery of successful tournaments in particular sports. This Advisory Group will be chaired by Klaus Heusslein (EGLSF member of the Control Committee designated by the EGLSF Assembly) and we would like to thank him both for his time and commitment to the process so far and to his future role in this group.

The EGLSF Board acknowledges that the current political situation in Hungary provides a unique challenge for FRIGO in achieving financial support from the City of Budapest and the National Government. EGLSF has therefore secured some initial funding to support the delivery of EuroGames 2012. In addition, EuroGames 2011, Rotterdam, Abseitz, Stuttgart, ICONS Italia and Pan Idraet, Copenhagen have shown significant gestures of solidarity.

The EGLSF board would encourage other EGLSF members to initiate similar projects within their own clubs or support EuroGames 2012 in the following ways:

· Encourage all teams intending to participate in EuroGames 2012 to register early (registration will open during summer 2012)

· Encourage any teams who will not be competing in EuroGames 2012 to register for the supporters’ package and come and show their support and solidarity.

· Help promote EuroGames 2012 amongst non-sporting friends

More info on EuroGames 2012 can be found HERE.

Note added to Klaus's post: The FGG is pleased that a solution has been found to allow for the 2012 EuroGames to remain on track, and to remain in Budapest, where a visible presence of European solidarity for the LGBT community there is more important than ever. And we are pleased that our at-large board member Klaus Heusslein, outgoing president of IGLFA, initiated and followed through on this process, which advances the cause of LGBT sport in Europe.