A Gay Games veteran looks forward to Gay Games IX in Cleveland

Honorary Danes, before opening ceremony in Cologne

We were delighted to find this post on the Facebook page of Gay Games IX (facebook.com/gaygamescleveland) from a long-time fan of the Gay Games, Alan J. Anderson:

I was thrilled to be a volunteer at the Games in NY in '94, even happier to compete (and win a Bronze Medal in Bowling) in Amsterdam, '98, to compete in bowling again and win Gold in Sydney in '02, to compete yet again (but no medals, drat!) in Chicago in '06, and participate in Choral singing in Cologne in 2010.

Each Games was unique and wonderful, and while you never forget "your first one" I also feel that each Games has, in its own way, been somehow even better than the one before. I can't wait to attend in 2014 in Cleveland + Akron!

After asking Alan if we could repost this here, he told us that he was one of the participants interviewed for the book Let the Games beGay. Here's more about this book (which you can order in the US and Germany via our Amazon links, left): Touching moments captured at some of world’s largest sporting events of the special kind. Coming from the Americas or Zimbabwe, gays and lesbians recall their personal highlights at the Gay Games in Sydney and the Eurogames in Munich.*

Participants of many different nations and teams are presented in individual portraits, rendering their impressions, thoughts and feelings, all of which are illustrated with pictures and snapshots taken during the events.

An array of chapters such as on the history of the games for gay athletes, on organisational matters, or on gay culture and politics, wrapped up with useful address listings, numbers and facts, crowned by a real VIP-editorial make this book a must-read.

Let the games beGay, a vibrant documentation of the world’s greatest sports festivals for gay people, aims at promoting international sporting events such as the Gay Games, Out Games and Eurogames – to make them heard all over the globe.