A 2010 profile of Rob Smitherman, sports director for Gay Games 9

Back in 2012, the Windy City Times did a great profile of Rob Smitherman, a sports manager for Gay Games VII in Chicago and for Gay Games VIII in Cologne. We're very happy that Rob is now the sports director for Gay Games 9, and particularly liked this quote in the 2010 article:

In the Gay Games and through gay sports in general, I found a more complete life. I hope that the Gay Games, and all the leagues and tournaments throughout the world can offer that to others. In many places we have 'won.' [In] the big cities of North America and western Europe we are at least tolerated if not accepted. But we have people coming from eastern Europe who cannot use their real names because they would face discrimination at home. We have countries of the world who consider being gay a criminal act punished by imprisonment or death. We have people in smaller towns in the U.S., Canada, Australia and western Europe who have never heard of the Gay Games and think they are alone in loving sports and athletics, and just happen to be gay. And we still have no out gay man, and very few open lesbians, playing in a major team sport throughout the world. Until we have equality throughout the world we need to offer gay sports, especially the Gay Games, to show that we are here, and we deserve to be treated fairly and without discrimination.

Read in full HERE.