Stonewall Lions (UK) defeat United FC (USA) for Gay Games Division 1 Men's Football Championship

Report by James Sanders of the UK's Pink Paper:

Stonewall FC beat Florida United in Gay Games championship

Stonewall FC have successfully defended their title of Gay Games Champions after defeating USA's Florida United FC 2-1 in Cologne on Saturday.

Stonewall FC defended their title in Cologne following their success four years ago when they won gold at the Chicago Gay Games.

Stonewall FC, who were the tournament favorites, got off to a slow start after losing their first game 3 – 2 to Milan. However, after the initial scare they raised their game and continued through the tournament without defeat and scoring freely.

Read the rest of the story HERE. Photo is Stonewall vs. Cream Team Cologne, the bronze medallist.

View the full results of the 77 team men's and women's Gay Games football (soccer) tournament HERE.

Live from Cologne - L-MAG TV video portrait of three lesbian athletes

This is a nice short video segment from L-MAG TV with three portraits of lesbian athletes at the Gay Games 2010. Interviewed were Pinky Zulu, South African soccer player who wants to bring the Gay Games to South Africa; Lies, a tennis player from the Netherlands, who came to the Gay Games without a doubles partner and had one assigned to her; and Shannon from the U.S. who met her partner Julia while sport climbing. Video by: Ruth Wolter

Live From Cologne: Smooth as fine German engineering

Live from Cologne report from Kevin Boyer, Chicago.

Gay Games registration is running very, very smoothly. There are plenty of volunteers and today, at least, the lines were very short or nonexistent. It took me just 1 minute to get my pre-printed credential on the lower level, and that was my stopping to thank the volunteers for their hard work.. Even later when there were more people, it was one volunteer or more to every participant (see pic). Good job, guys.

Upstairs at the Koelnmesse building (where registration is taking place), all of the sports coordinators are giving out schedules, maps and generally helping people orient themselves. Up there I ran into Hlengiwe Buthelezi, a runner from South Africa who has helped represent LGBT athletes from that country to the Federation of Gay Games. She was up there with a couple of friends (see pic). Later downstairs the Chosen Few lesbian soccer team from South Africa came into the registration area singing as they often do to cheers from the many volunteers.

Photos by Kevin Boyer

Welcome to Cologne, The Flying Bats of Australia

Look who we found at the Frankfurt's airport train station - four members of The Flying Bats women's soccer team from Australia eager to show their pink Aussie flag.

Photo by Kevin Boyer