"Against the Rules" exhbition featured at Pride House 2012

European Union to support exhibition on gay sport at Pride House 2012
“’Against the Rules” features sport pioneers at the venue for LGBT people and friends at the London Olympics



Pride House 2012 is a project of Pride Sports UK, in collaboration with the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF), the Federation of Gay Games, the Gay and Lesbian International Sport Federation (GLISA), the LGBT Consortium, and Phoenix FC, and aims to offer a welcoming space for all athletes, staff, spectators and friends of London 2012. Pride House 2012 will be open from 3 to 7 August at CA House in Limehouse Basin on the river Thames, with the Pride House 2012 festival continuing in various venues through 12 August, the day of the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Lou Englefield, Executive Director of lead partner Pride Sports, explains how the exhibition fits the mission of Pride House 2012: “We want to offer a place for LGBT people and friends to meet, relax, and enjoy the London Olympic experience. But we also want this to be a learning experience and a resource for local and international visitors. An exhibition like ‘Against the Rules’ offers a particularly engaging and inspirational way to contribute to this educational mission.”

“Against the Rules” is made up of 37 panels related to homophobia and LGBT sport, including biographies of athletes like Amelie Mauresmo, Billie Jean King, David Kopay, Greg Louganis, Imke Duplitzer, Judith Arndt, Justin Fashanu and Tom Waddell. The exhibition is presented by the EGLSF with the financial support of the European Commission (DG Education and Culture) as part of the project coordinated by the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation on "Preventing and Fighting Homophobic Violence in Sport".

Lou Manders, co-president of the EGLSF spoke of the impact of the exhibition: “The exhibition was created several years ago; in 2010 the EGLSF produced an English version, which has since been presented across Europe at a variety of competitions, conferences, and other venues, for both an LGBT and ‘mainstream’ audience.” His co-president Armelle Mazé added: “It’s an effective mix of background information on the history of LGBT sport and individual portraits that inspire and move viewers. We thank Pride Sports for making this display at Pride House 2012 happen, and the European Union for financing this event.”

pridehouse2012.org
pridehouse.gaygames.org

Youth in Sport video on homophobia in sport

We posted an announcement of this session held in conjunction with EuroGames 2012 in Budapest. Here' a product from the young people involved:

ENGSO Youth Study Session Campaign - "The Runner" - Challenge Homophobia In Sport

Young Europeans who participated in the study session Youth Sport speaks out on TabooPhobia - Developing a youth campaign to challenge homophobia.

Check us out at www.facebook.com/equalityinsports

LGBT sport changes lives: Daniel from Budapest

We're sharing this message posted on our Facebook wall by Jan Froelich, secretary general of the EGLSF:

This young co-organiser of EuroGames2012 surprised the audience of the VIP reception in Budapest with a speech that left many of us without words:

"Organizing this event has changed a lot in my life. Before, I was only able to speak about my homosexuality with my mother. With my involvement in EuroGames2012 I felt the need to be open with all of my family members. My parents came yesterday to visit me at the EuroGames village and told me that they were proud of me and I told them that I was proud of them. Even my grandfather got involved: he used to be a board member of the Hungarian Football Federation and later today he will be awarding the medals to the winners of the football competition of EuroGames2012."

Daniel's tears infected the audience. There were tears in the eyes of almost all the guests at the reception. Thank you Dani for this touching moment which was a highlight of EuroGames2012 for many of us!

A message of congratulations to EGLSF and FriGo on 2012 EuroGames in Budapest

Dear members of the board of the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation and Eurogames 2012,

On behalf of the FGG Board of Directors and Assembly, we congratulate you on the occasion of the Budapest EuroGames.

We recognise your courage and determination in the face of many challenges, and we applaud your success in organising the 2012 Eurogames in Budapest, which involved great personal commitment from EGLSF and the local Budapest organising team. Our thanks go also to Klaus Heusslein, Gabor Laszlo and the FriGo team.

The Budapest EuroGames are a reminder of the progress made by the LGBT sport movement, and of the distance that remains to reach true equality. We continue to believe that equality for LGBT people is best achieved by unity and solidarity.

We hope to see you at the FGG AGA in Sofia from 19-21 August (gaymes.info/sofia212). Representatives from the 2014 Cleveland Gay Games will be attending to answer all your questions.

We also would like to reiterate our invitation for dialogue and collaboration on how best to work together for a single worldwide quadrennial event.

As you compete and play together in Budapest during the next few days, we wish you safe and fun Games and renewed energy for the many challenges we continue to face.

Kurt Dahl and Emy Ritt
FGG Co-Presidents
On behalf of the FGG Board of Directors
kdahl@gaygame.org eritt@gaygames.org

30 June 2012 / "Homophobia in the Stadium" conference at Budapest Eurogames

The European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation, in occasion of EuroGames 2012 in Budapest, is glad to invite you to the conference

HOMOPHOBIA IN THE STADIUM European institutions against discrimination in sports

which will take place Saturday, 30th June, at the EuroGames Village (see address below).

Different approaches from (inter)national regional and local governing bodies on tackling homophobia in sports throughout Europe. Which ones are successful, why are they successful? Can they be cuopied to other nations?
Some experts and representatives from European institutions will speak on how to fight against discriminations when doing sport, as well as showing practices already taken in order to tackle homophobia. And all of this, under the umbrella of the first EuroGames ever held in Central and Eastern Europe and in cooperation with the Football for Equality II project, focused on this area and partially funded by the European Commission (DG Justice) under the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Programme.

Speakers
Sonia Parayre, from the Council of Europe;
Tanja Walther-Arens, former football player, teacher and scientist;
ENGSO Youth session participants presenting their project Taboophobia in Sports;
Lou Englefield, director of Pride Sports (UK) and formerco-president of EGLSF;
Micah Grzywnowicz, expert on LGBTQ issues and integration.

Round table: Governing bodies fighting homophobia in sports (moderated by Lou Englefield)

Closing speech:
Uffe Elbaek, Danish Minister of Culture and Sports and former CEO of OutGames 2009 in Copenhagen (to be confirmed).

Organized by EGLSF
In cooperation with Football for Equality II
With the participation of the Council of Europe

When: Saturday, 30th June, 2012, from 10 am to 1.30 pm
Where: EuroGames Village @ Dürlin. 14th district, Ajtósi Dürer sor 19-21

Photos from opening of Euro Pride House

LGBT Action at Euro 2012

The European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF) has teamed up with the Pride Solidarity Campaign (supported by FARE) to identify opportunities for LGBT inclusion & human rights during Euro 2012. Clare Dimyon of Pride Solidarity been in Ukraine since Kyiv Pride, visiting Ukrainian LGBT communities, including those in the four host cities of Kyiv, Karkhiv, Lviv and Donetsk. Clare has been promoting Football v Homophobia, the global campaign against prejudice and discrimination towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in football www.footballvhomophobia.com in preparation for Euro 2012. Meanwhile, EGLSF has been preparing for the opening of Euro Pride House in Warsaw on Friday 8 June (part of the Football for Equality initiative). Euro Pride House is a space for all fans, players and football supporters during the Championships. Its focus is on the LGBT community but is open to anyone who wants to challenge homophobia in football.

During the tournament, the partners will be delivering two specific campaigns, ‘Wear a Rainbow at Euro 2012’ and ‘YOUR Euro Pride House’.

Wear A Rainbow at Euro 2012

Last month people witnessed with horror the brutal beating of Svyatoslav Sheremet, head of the Gay-Forum of Ukraine, at the first ever gay parade in Kiev. This sparked major concerns over the safety of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered people in Ukraine as well as those attending Euro 2012 in Ukraine in June. ‘Wear a Rainbow at euro 2012’ is a campaign to show solidarity with LGBT in Ukraine during the Euros. Anyone interested in challenging the violence perpetrated against LGBT in Europe can wear a silicone rainbow wristband to show support. Wristbands will be available at Euro Pride House in Warsaw and from various venues in Ukraine and those not in Ukraine and Poland can join in with this simple act of solidarity.

YOUR Euro Pride House

This campaign aims to enable LGBT people in Ukraine to hold their own Euro Pride Houses in environments in which they feel safe. Clare from the Pride Solidarity Campaign is facilitating a range of ‘Euro Pride Houses’ in various locations across Ukraine and supplying activists with Football v Homophobia leaflets, t shirts and, of course wristbands for the ‘Wear a Rainbow at Euro 2012 campaign.

The YOUR Euro Pride House campaign also enables other European LGBT people to engage in Euro Pride House. Obviously many LGBT players, fans & activists will be watching Euro 2012 matches in their own countries, and will not be making the trip to Poland or Ukraine. YOUR Euro Pride House is a campaign to engage these fans in LGBT human rights issues in Central and Eastern Europe through football and enable us to use Euro 2012 as a vehicle to mobilise support. The campaign will enable fans, wherever they are in Europe, to be a part of Euro Pride house, by printing out the Euro Pride House logo from the Facebook page and posting a photo of themselves and their friends/team mates celebrating Euro 2012 wherever they are in Europe.

Euro Pride House welcomes fans at UEFA Euro 2012

Next week Warsaw will see the opening of “Euro Pride House”, a place for the LGBT community to enjoy Euro2012 in safety alongside straight friends, allies and fellow supporters in an environment of tolerance and respect for fundamental human rights.

Throughout June Euro Pride House will screen matches, host a table football tournament and play host to a range of debates and networking events. Of course, there is also a very well stocked bar and great local seasonal food for any fans looking for a friendly place to relax during the tournament.

For more information about the Launch of Euro Pride House contact: Lou Manders, EGLSF Co-President: lou@eglsf.info

"Against the Rules" at TIP Paris International Tournament

EGLSF's "Against the Rules" exhibition is a highlight of the sports village at the TIP.

EGLSF at Turin LGBT film festival

A message from our friends from the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation:

We are very pleased to inform you that EGLSF was one of the guests of the latest edition of the Turin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, the oldest such festival in Europe and one of the most important events in the world on this topic. The reason for our presence was the inclusion for the first time of a section about sports and homosexuality. “The last taboo: our Olympics “ was an idea suggested by Paolo Colombo, a famous Italian sports journalist, himself openly gay and the director of “V-ictory”, one of the documentaries presented at the festival. His film concerns gay people in sports, in Italy and beyond, since we can see some images of Eurogames Barcelona 2008 and other international events.

The EGLSF is fortunate in having a board member who lives in Turin. Jon Landa was able to view all the films and documents in the sport section. These included: the pilot episode of “Heet gras”, a Dutch tv series aimed at young people featuring a sixteen-year-old lesbianl who above all loves playing football, or “Renée”, about Renee Richards, the first transgender tennis player in the US Open . Older films such as the commercially successful German “Sommersturm” (about a queer rowing club), the Icelandic “Strákarnir okkar” (‘Eleven men out’, a football star who comes out and joins an LGBT team after being abandoned by his own team and fans), or “Mi último round”, romantic movie from Chile who tells the story of a boxer and his lover-coach.

We especially appreciated the US documentary “Training Rules”, about a popular basketball coach from the famed Penn State University team who pushed real or suspected lesbian players to quit her team, since being homosexual or having lesbian friends (among others, since her slogan is “No alcohol, no drugs, no lesbians”) is forbidden if you want to play on her team.

EGSLF had the opportunity to speak about homosexuality and sports with some of the public present at the cinema: it is a huge taboo everywhere, but it is even more in Italy, a country where there is no protection for LGBT people and no laws against homophobic behavior.

FSGL presents EGLSF exhbition "Against the Rules" at Europe Day event near Paris

Armelle, Alexis, Berty

Armelle and Cyril (left), Mayor Dominique Voynet (center)

Today is VE day, a public holiday in France, which makes it a great opportunity for festivities for tomorrow's official Europe Day. This year one of the themes of the celebration in Montreuil, one of the largest cities in the region after Paris, was sport, and the guest organization to represent the theme was the FSGL in partnership with the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF).

In addition to the booth staffed by Armelle from the EGLSF and Alexis, Berty and Cyril from FSGL, the EGLSF exhibition "Against the Rules" was on display at the municipal library adjoining the park where the Europe Day fair was held.

8 May 2012 / Novice v slovenščini / Diskriminacija v športu

A series of events to promote equality in sport from FGG member Out in Slovenia including a panel discussion, the EGLSF Against the Rules exhibition, a banquet, and a football tournament bringing together teams from Slovenia and surrounding countries: 

Diskriminacija v športu
Objavil: Out in Slovenija | 4.05.2012 | Brez komentarjev |
V okviru evropskega projekta Nogomet za enakost (Football for Equality) bodo v Sloveniji v mesecu maju izvedene tri aktivnosti, na katere vas vljudno vabijo organizatorji – Spolint institut, Društvo DIH ter Out in Slovenija:

- v torek, 8. maja 2012 ob 17:30
okrogla miza Pošljimo diskriminacijo dol z igrišča!
Velika predavalnica Fakultete za šport Univerze v Ljubljani

- v torek, 8. maja 2012 ob 19:00
otvoritev razstave s pogostitvijo “Proti pravilom – geji in lezbijke v športu”
Velika predavalnica Fakultete za šport Univerze v Ljubljani

- v nedeljo, 13. maja 2012 med 10:00 in 16:00
nogometni turnir enakosti – Nogometna družina je zakon!
NK Svoboda, Ljubljana

Okrogla miza

Pošljimo diskriminacijo dol z igrišča!

Gostje:
Dr. Milan Hosta, Spolint inštitut
Šport razlikuje, da bi združeval – paradoks igre

Dr. Roman Kuhar, Mirovni inštitut
Obrazi homofobije in šport

Zoran Verovnik, MIZKŠ
Evropske smernice proti diskriminaciji v športu

Dejan Močnik, NK Bravo
Vloga nogometnega kluba pri vzgoji otrok in mladine

Rok Košir, športni novinar
Antropološko novinarski pogled na homofobijo v športu

Mojca Horn, absolventka Fakultete za šport
Šport kot sredstvo družbenega osveščanja

Kje: Velika predavalnica Fakultete za šport, Gortanova 22, Ljubljana
Kdaj: torek, 8. maja 2012, od 17.30 do 19.00
Ob 19.00 bo potekala otvoritev razstave (glej spodaj) s pogostitvijo

razstava

»Proti pravilom – geji in lezbijke v športu«

Vprašanje gejev in lezbijk v športu je še vedno tabu tema, o kateri se običajno le šepeta za zaprtimi vrati, a se o njej le redko javno razpravlja. V družbi skoraj ni sfere, kjer se sodelovanje istospolno usmerjenih zdi bolj nenormalno, kot v športu.
Čeprav se je odnos družbe do spolnosti spremenil, se predpostavka, da se homoseksualnost in šport ne ujemata, še vedno drži; homoseksualne športnike in športnice v športu še vedno pogosto ignorirajo ali celo odkrito zavračajo. Situacija pa se počasi le spreminja. Razni družbeni razvoji, kot na primer dejstvo, da šport postaja bolj prostočasna dejavnost kot le fizični trening, ženska emancipacija ali pojav lezbičnih, gejevskih, biseksualnih in trans (LGBT) gibanj, postopoma vplivajo na šport. Iz tega sledi, da se homoseksualnosti ne sme več pometati pod preprogo.
Razstava Proti pravilom – lezbijke in geji v športu je namenjena odstranjevanju tabujev tematike homoseksualnosti in športa ter usmerja pozornost na različne načine diskriminacije spolnih manjšin v športu. Želi pa tudi prikazati, da šport LGBT osebam lahko nudi priložnost živeti samozavestno življenje.
Nemški original razstave sta med drugim organizirala SC Janus, Centrum Schwule Geschichte (Center za homoseksualno zgodovino) iz Kölna, leta 2009 pa jo je EGLSF aktualiziral in prevedel v angleščino, v sklopu projekta Nogomet za enakost leta 2012 pa še v slovenščino, poljščino, italijanščino in slovaščino. Razstava bo gostovala v sedmih evropskih mestih. Prevod razstave v slovenščino so prevzeli institut Spolint, Društvo DIH in Out in Slovenija.

Otvoritev razstave s pogostitvijo:
Kje: Velika predavalnica Fakultete za šport, Gortanova 22, Ljubljana
Kdaj: torek, 8. maja 2012, ob 19.00 (pred tem pa bo potekala okrogla miza, s pričetkom ob 17:30)

nogometni turnir enakosti

Nogometna družina je zakon!

12 raznovrstnih ekip iz Slovenije, z gostujočimi ekipami iz Madžarske, Hrvaške, Italije in Avstrije bo pokazalo da nogomet lahko tudi združuje.

Kje: NK Svoboda, Gerbičeva 61, Ljubljana
Kdaj: nedelja, 13. maja 2012, med 10:00 in 16:00
Nogometni turnir bodo spremljale spremljajoče dejavnosti

Vljudno vabljeni na vse aktivnosti – vstop je prost!

O projektu

Od leta 2009 je več organizacij širom Evrope sodelovalo pri projektu Nogomet za enakost, ki ga financira Evropska komisija (generalni direktorat za pravosodje). Junija 2011 se je začel drugi del projekta, ki poudarja promocijo nogometa brez homofobije, rasizma in etnične diskriminacije, tokrat s poudarkom na srednji in vzhodni Evropi. Prvič v zgodovini potekajo Evropska gejevska in lezbična športna prvenstva (EuroGames) v vzhodni Evropi, in sicer v Budimpešti, Evropsko nogometno prvenstvo EURO 2012 pa na Poljskem in v Ukrajini. To sta le dva dogodka, ki sta vključena v projekt Nogomet za enakost – soočanje s homofobijo in rasizmom v srednji in vzhodni Evropi. Poleg aktivnosti ozaveščanja je v ospredju tudi izmenjava znanja in izkušenj med srednjo in vzhodno Evropo, med LGBT (lezbičnimi/gejevskimi/biseksualnimi/trans) skupnostmi ter migrantskimi in etničnimi skupinami.
Vodja projekta Nogomet za enakost je FairPlay-VIDC (Avstrija) sodelovanju z izkušenimi nevladnimi organizacijami, vključno z EGLSF, Italijanskim združenjem šport za vse UISP, Football Supporters Europe (FSE), People Against Racism (L‘UDIA, Slovaška) in SPOLINT iz Slovenije.

Za dodatne informacije obiščite: www.footballforequality.org in www.spolint.org.
Projekt delno sofinancira Evropska komisija (generalni direktorat za pravosodje) v okviru programa temeljnih pravic in državljanstva.

A personal appeal to register for Eurogames 2012

A message from Jan Froehlich, secretary general of the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation: 

Dear friends,

After having spent another weekend in Budapest I feel the need to address you in order to share my impressions:

I met an extremely motivated, young, and gender-balanced organization team. I saw a charming city of artists, intellectuals, and felt a liberal atmosphere. I spent a full day walking around the city with a t-shirt stating that I belong to a "lesbian & gay" association. According to press reports, I should be dead by now, but in reality nobody cared.

Whatever happens, in two months our community will write history by celebrating EuroGames for the the first time in an Eastern European country. So far, around 2.000 athletes have registered. My biggest worry is, that some of us will miss the chance to be part of it. I call all of you who haven't register yet:  think again! Don't leave our young friends from Budapest alone! Be part of a historic moment! Register for EuroGames 2012! You won't regret it.

Jan

En français / 8 May 2012 / La FSGL invitée à la journée de l'Europe à Montreuil sur le thème du sport en Europe

FSGL has been invited to be part of the city of Montreuil's celebration of Europe Day on 8 May 2012, which this year is dedicated to "sport in Europe". Among the activities planned is a display of the EGLSF exhibition "Against the Rules".

---

La Fête de l’Europe aura lieu le mardi 8 mai de 14 à 19h, dans le Square Patriarche à Montreuil (12/14 bd Rouget-de-Lisle).

En raison de l’actuel agenda sportif européen avec la Coupe d’Europe de football en Pologne et en Ukraine, ainsi que les Jeux Olympiques de Londres, la Fête de l’Europe 2012 aura pour thème principal « le sport en europe ».

Le public peut ainsi découvrir :
- quelques sports traditionnels de certains pays et des sports insolites
- l’action des institutions européennes dans le domaine du sport
- des projets sportifs à dimension européenne, réalisés par des associations

La FSGL sera présente, notamment pour présenter l'exposition "Contre les règles" de l'EGLSF.

Le long de l’après-midi, le public peut découvrir des groupes de musique européens sur scène, des jeux et des animations à dimension européenne, ainsi que des plats typiques proposés par des associations locales de ressortissants européens.

Infos ICI.
Dépliant ICI.

19 April 2012 / EGLSF to be present at Turin film festival

As we posted HERE, this year's edition of the Turin gay and lesbian film festival will feature sports. Jon Landa of the EGLSF will be attending. Here's his first report:

EGLSF present at Turin GLBT Film Festival 2012

This year, for the first time, the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation has been invited to the Turin Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Film Festival, the oldest in Europe. The festival opens on Thursday, 19 April, and for the first time will include a section dedicated to sports and homosexuality, entitled “Sport: the last taboo, ‘our’ Olympics”. The opening session will feature two documentaries: V-Ictory by Italy’s Paolo Colombo, followed by Canadian film Verona, by Laurie Lynd.

The section also offers a retrospective of two successful films released some years ago: the German film Sommersturm, with two boys from a rowing team as the main characters and Eleven Men Out, an Icelandic film that takes a close and accusing look at one of the most homophobic sports: football. Festival goers can also watch a new movie, My Last Round (Argentina/Chile) that tells the troubled story of sport and love in the life of a boxer.

Returning to documentaries, Renée deals with the true life of tennis player Renée Richards, the first transgender to take part in the US Open in 1977, while the another documentary, Training Rules, is about the life of a lesbian basketball player discriminated against by her own coach.

“Da Sodoma a Hollywood: i film che cambiano la vita” (From Sodoma to Hollywood: films that change lives) was born in 1981 and became a festival eight years later. This year’s edition will present more than 100 films, and EGLSF is pleased to be part of this exciting event.

More info: www.tglff.com.

Gay Games Ambassador John Amaechi at EGLSF AGA conference

FGG delegates from the "conte[s|x]ting SPORT" conference for more Inclusive, Diverse and Sustainable Sport held in conjunction with the recent EGLSF annual general assembly in Split, Croatia, report that one of the highlights was the talk given by Gay Games Ambassador John Amaechi.

Gay Games 9 presentation at EGLSF Annual General Assembly

What are those colors on this map? They're the basins of the five Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence river. And the arrows point to Chicago, Cleveland, and New York City.

Federation of Gay Games sports officer Bettina Winter-Dietmann and FGG delegate from SC Janus Armin Lohrman presented a progress report on Gay Games 9 to participants at the Annual General Assembly of the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation in Split, Croatia.

Split conference report

Post Conference Press Release by qSPORT:

On Friday, 2nd of March 2012, Split/CROATIA hosted an extraordinary conference under the title Conte[s|x]ting SPORT , which engaged almost a hundred international, regional and local participants. The speakers included government representatives, policy makers, advocates, expert consultants, academic researchers, elite athletes, media and sport professionals, and most importantly, sport organizers and enthusiasts. The conference was opened with addresses by Ms Maria Ochoa-Llidó, representing the Council of Europe, and Mr Krešimir Šamija, a representative of the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sports.

"Croatia, Dalmatia as its Mediterranean region and especially the city of Split have an amazing track record in competitive sports (highest number of Olympians per capita), but are lagging behind when it comes to human rights, participation and visibility of minorities in sport, or in sustainable models of sport organizing " - notes Željko Blaće, researcher and activist of qSPORT and one of the conference organisers.

In a full day program, sport was examined through the lens of Inclusion, Diversity and Sustainability, in contrast to the dominant topics of sport management, efficiency and feasibility - areas that generate results in competition. The format of the day included workshops, panels and keynotes, several working meetings and, of course, provided an opportunity for informal networking among the participants (for some South Eastern Europeans it was the first time to take part in such event).

The conference covered all levels of sport from grass-roots to competitive sport, through presentations of good practices (diversity policies of Rugby Football League, the Marlin Swimming Club for trans individuals and anti-homophobia work of the Norwegian Olympic Committee) and experiences from sport networks (like Football Against Racism in Europe, the Balkan Alpe Adria project and the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation), campaigns (like The Justin Campaign), case studies (legal cases against homophobic statements uttered by Croatian sport officials) and programs (like Media Against Racism in Sports).

The morning panel on regional dynamics focused on the process of (economic and political) Transition (in post-1990s war South East Europe), while the evening panel centered around Inclusion-Participation within the pyramid of sport. Both were exceptionally well received and provided material for a rewarding debate. The highlights of the program were opening and closing keynotes, by Ivan Ergić, and John Amaechi, respectively. Ivan is an elite international football player and writer, who provided a critical analysis of hyper-commercialized sport (where athletes' bodies are relegated to means of meeting financial goals), and John is a management consultant, former NBA player and psychologist, who talked about racial, sexual and class discrimination, as well as psychological and emotional aspects of sports for both youth and professionals.

The conference concluded with the message that much remains to be done within existing sport structures to render them truly Inclusive, Diverse and Sustainable. Sport should be reflected on and regularly contested through critical analysis; not just accepted as a route to competition. It is naive to imagine that sport is autonomous and independent as its context and conditions are determined by sponsored financial and media support, and as diverse trans-local struggles against economic disadvantages and legal constraints arising from race/ethnic, gender or sexual orientation identities have meant reduced access and visibility for some.

The conference participants provided feedback and pointed out that in order to achieve systemic change there is a pressing need for action across different fields from early education of kids/youth to training professionals in sport and media, but they also called for educating and sanctioning those who participate in violence and hooliganism in sport. Such work needs greater understanding, solidarity and support among all stakeholders, which can be achieved through empathy and a deeper understanding of the "Other" and each-other. Conferences like this provide a temporary platform for meeting and exchange, but are in need of practical follow-up.
The organizers will produce documentation and supporting material in the form of a reader and an electronic publication, hoping that the content and contacts provided will foster sustainable collaboration in the future.

"It was inspiring to see such diversity of activists, policy makers and sports organizers from Europe's communities discussing cutting edge work in challenging LGBTQ-phobias and creating solutions for LGBTQ inclusion" - explains Louise Englefield, conference co-organizer and former co-president of EGLSF.

Local and regional media representatives (Slobodna Dalmacija , H-Alter and OneWorldSEE ) following the Conference reported on the themes and participants, especially pointing out the fact that the event took place in Split/CROATIA under rigorous police protection.

About conference organizers:
EPAS as a sport body for the Council of Europe has dedicated its work in 2012 to Homophobia in Sport and has partnered with EGLSF to co-organize 3 conferences during this year, starting with the one in Split, followed by Budapest in June and later on in Rotterdam. qSPORT as an EGLSF member has done pioneering work in instigating and networking LGBTQ sport initiatives in the region of South East Europe, while reaching out to a larger network of social/political/sport activists and organizations in order to establish a backbone for positive change in and through sport. Hosting of the Conference by QSS was exceptional in what was a very ambitious project for this recently established Split branch of qSPORT, which expanded its volunteer network beyond sport participants and its previous capacity. HBS (The Heinrich Böll Stiftung) supported the Conference through its Croatian and Polish offices in an effort to articulate and coordinate exchange of valuable know-how in the field of social activism between Poland and the region of South East Europe.

Further information on the event can be obtained from:
Zeljko Blace zeljko@qSPORT.info
Louise Englefield louise@eglsf.info

Eurogames 2012 presentation at EGLSF Annual General Assembly

The team from FRIGO, the hosts of Eurogames 2012, made what we are told was an exciting presentation about plans for this summer's event in Budapest.

Register to be part of a great sports event, and to be part of history!

View the presentation HERE.

Photos from Amnesty International exhibition in conjunction with EGLSF AGA

The top photos from the exhibition held in conjunction with the EGLSF AGA in Split can be viewed online thanks to The Independent. View them HERE.

The photo above is by Luciana Magalhaes from Portugal:

"In this image that I called GO (60) we see an attitude of pure altruism, an act of solidarity. In the event, 'April 25 Race', an athlete that had special needs and showed some difficulties in going on is helped by the generous heart of another sportsman who is more used to these situations. He held out his hand to him, hence providing him with the satisfaction of crossing the finish line. This man shares generously a smile, brings the joy of a 'mission accomplished' to another in a world where, increasingly, selfishness, greed and avarice prevail. By reaching goals together, without discrimination, and calling for diversity, we will make Europe a place for all, so GO EUROPE!"

1 March 2012 / Video art installations in Split in conjunction with EGLSF Annual General Assembly

Tonci Kranjcevic Batalic writes on the work of video artists featured in conjunction with the EGLSF AGA opening in Split (details HERE):

The image of sport that we have today is a spectacular image with set meanings, defined mostly by media, especially televised pictures.

In the 60s Marshall McLuhan tried to define TV's image on the basis of its technical specifications, as well as physical and psychological perceptions of it, as a "cool" medium, or medium that requires an additional commitment for the interpretation of information, thus making the receiver of the image an active and critical observer.

The situation we have today with the presentation of sports as a spectacle in media is just the opposite: a uniform image of sports where viewer is treated as a passive observer, and his emotional reaction is simplified to basic euphoria or disappointment about the success or failure of a sport event. Such a communication process would classify TV media as a "hot" media, a term which for McLuhan describes "high definition" media. It is interesting that today, with the transition of TV images to HD, the viewer has made the path from active to passive recipient. However changes of the technical characteristics of media did not play the key role in that transition. The level of individual experience interacts with media and socio-cultural context play the key role in defining reception.

Apart from being presented in a form of video, the works of artists in this exhibition have in common a demand for an active and critical interpretation of offered information. Another common point in presented works is artist's performative act, in which the artist, accepting or violating the rules of sport, creates new and unfamiliar situations that reflect both personal and social reality.

Freedom of decision and imposed social values are related to the construction of gender identity in the works of Renata Poljak and Vedran Perkov. From the perspective of sport, the works of Boris Šitum and Sandra Sterle manifest absurd situations. Sterle's act is opposing professionalization of sports and thus indicates aesthetic and ideological elements of sport as a game. The absurdity of Šitum's serves from the roof of the bankrupted Uzor factory refers to the current socio-political situation. Experimenting with recording and animation, Ana Hušman reconstructs the historic match between Argentina and England in 1986, thus indicating the social and political relations that can be found in football.

A wide range of topics found in these sport-related performative acts indicate multiple possibilities of sports in the construction of individual and social realities and identities, which are usually ignored in spectacularized and professionalized sports of today. This exhibition is a reaction to passive acceptance of simplified sport images promoted by the media and society. It is an incentive for understanding sport as a space of realization of different kinds of social and human conditions.