GayCities: A look back at 1 August 2010

John Amaechi enters with Team Manchester

GayCities Europe editor Paul Brummitt was at Gay Games VIII in Cologne, where he competed in the triathlon. This was his first dispatch for GayCities:

The parade of athletes at opening ceremony was fun, colorful and diverse–just as any gay sporting event. The difference here in Cologne was that the VIP opening the Games was not only the Foreign Minister and number two in the German government, but also [one] of us!

Openly gay Guido Westerwelle gave an excellent speech telling everyone that “you are a role model for a society, and everyone can be part of – let us all be part of it!” And mentioning the countries with the death penalty for being gay got him a very big round of applause when he said “no religion can ever justify murder”.

Keep reading HERE.

Martina Navratilova and John Amaechi on Stephen Davies coming out

Gay Games Ambassador John Amaechi and Martina Navratilova are interviewed on CNN International. Navratilova hits on one of the key aspects of Davies coming out: "With each coming out it becomes easier for the next one, and it of course helps the young kids growing up."

Brian Sims on straight teammates' support for athletes coming out

The following is by Gay Games Ambassador Brian Sims via HRC Backstory. Sims is the President of Equality Pennsylvania and a former college athelete. He was the first openly gay captain of an NCAA football team. He played at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania.

Just over 10 years ago, I had the honor of coming out to my college football teammates, and it was an honor. In just a few short days and weeks, a group of men and athletes that I considered family, reminded me why I became an athlete and ultimately why athletics is about sportsmanship and not always just about winning. Just as importantly, I learned that a genuine commitment to sportsmanship, above all else, can be one of the most effective paths to winning.

In the last few days, Professional English Cricketer, Steven Davies has apparently been going through a similar time in his life. Davies’ decision to come out of the closet, to his teammates and to his fans, is a truly historic and courageous act. By coming out, he joins an incredibly small group of professional athletes that have done so, especially while still playing.

To be clear though, just as his family and friends have supported him for year, Davies’ teammates have already given every indication that they’ll also be supporting him this season, and as the rest of his career unfolds. You shouldn’t be surprised to hear that!

Former FGG co-president Brent Minor to receive Washington, DC volunteer award

A message from former FGG Officer of Development and Co-president Brent Minor, who also lead the Washington bid for Gay Games IX, and was a finalist for the 2010 Tom Waddell Award:

I am very honored to have been chosen to receive the 2011 Paul Ludeman Volunteer of the Year Award from the Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and will be given this award at their Annual Dinner on Friday, April 8. I hope you can join me that night for the reception, dinner and awards ceremony.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.caglcc.org.

FIFA proud of its achievements in fight against racism, while continuing to promote homophobia, sexism, and antisemitism

From SportAndDev.com, a look back at FIFA's efforts in the fight against racism in football. One wonders how FIFA can claim to be so enlightened with regard to one form of discrimination, and so willfully blind to others:

Football is universally [sic] and deservedly [sic] known as ‘the beautiful game’. But even the most beautiful of things have ugly defects, and football, which is no exception, has racism.

Albeit a serious problem, it is one on the decline - in no small part due to the Buenos Aires Resolution, which was passed by the Extraordinary Congress of FIFA on 7 July 2001. To mark its tenth anniversary, FIFA.com will begin publishing interviews on racism and discrimination in football with a series of personalities, starting with Anthony Baffoe. He played international football for African giants Ghana and has helped FIFA in the enduring fight against racism.

FIFA had, of course, been committed to the cause long before then. “FIFA took the strongest stand possible in the fight against racism by expelling apartheid South Africa in 1961 and readmitting them [in 1991] after the release of Nelson Mandela,” explained Tokyo Sexwale, the High Commissioner to the organisation’s 'Say no to Racism' campaign.

Compete Magazine and CampusPride to rank US university sports programs on LGBT-inclusivity

From CampusPride via Compete:

From CampusPride.org:
Official Call for Nominations announced today to profile LGBT progressive NCAA or NJCA collegiate athletic programs at colleges and universities across the country.

Nobody knows the score when it comes to collegiate athletic programs and where they stand on inclusion and safety of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) players, coaches and staff. For the first-time ever, Campus Pride, in partnership with Compete Magazine, plans to find out who the winners are for LGBT-inclusiveness in college sports -- and, ultimately, whether out LGBT athletes, coaches and staff are welcome.

Today Campus Pride launches its newly formed “Out to Play Project” which is designed to address anti-LGBT slurs, bias and conduct in college sports. As part of the national project, both Compete Magazine and Campus Pride will spend from March until June reviewing nominations of colleges and universities for the “Out To Play List.” The LGBT-friendly listing will be published in a special edition of Compete Magazine and online at CampusPride.org profiling the “Best” in LGBT-inclusivity and college sports.

The official call for nominations starts today, March 1. To be eligible, the athletic program must be part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, II and III, or the National Junior College Athletic Association. Former or current out LGBT and ally athletes, coaches, fans and, or campus staff are encouraged to nominate a college or university. Anyone can nominate a LGBT-friendly college athletic program online at www.campuspride.org/outtoplay.

“Anti-LGBT attitudes and behaviors are prevalent, if not pervasive, in the world of sports. ’Out To Play’ can change all that – by starting in college and setting the standard. The ‘Best of the Best’ listing will highlight college athletic programs that have demonstrated LGBT-inclusion in policy and practice,” said Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride. “If we know the score, everyone will be motivated to play harder – even those farthest behind.”

Windmeyer, also the author of The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students, will lead the nomination review team which will partly consist of select individuals who are current and former out LGBT athletes as well as researchers in the field of higher education. Once nominations have been received, the review team will contact college sports program to undergo a further review. The review will consist of a series of LGBT-inclusive athletic questions as well as an assessment of the entire campus community through Campus Pride’s LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index (www.campusclimateindex.org).

LGBT sports organizations invited to meet FGG and GLISA AsiaPacific in Wellington

GLISA Asia Pacific and the Federation of Gay Games would like to invite you to an Asia Pacific networking meeting on Saturday 12 March 2011 at 3pm.

The meeting will be a great opportunity to ask questions of GLISA-AP and FGG about how we are working together and to generate ideas together for our region.

It will also be a great way to meet other people involved in sport, culture and human rights in the Asia Pacific.

Please email Peter Sagar at pstarfuture@gmail.com if you are able to come along.

The meeting details are:
Date: Saturday 12 March 2011
Time: 15:00 - 16:00 (Opening Ceremony commences 16:30)
Location: Mojo Café, 18A Bond Street

Jim Provenzano looks at the connection between gay bars and gay sport

Gay and lesbian bars and gay and lesbian sports are intimately connected, as shown by Jim Provenzano, in a column that includes the link with the Gay Games, including this:

But the softball league at the time was men-only, until Sara Lewinstein, owner of The Artemis Café, rounded up some pals and started what became a thriving women’s softball league. Along with Rikki Streicher and her bar Maud’s (and 12 years later, Amelia’s), women-owned bars and cafes supported women’s sports, creating a thriving community.

Read in full HERE.

Pot calling the snowdrift black? Iran upset about religious and political signs at Olympics

From InsideTheGames.biz, an astonishing show of nerve from a country which practices systematic sexism, racism, antisemitism and homophobia, and which, contrary to the principles of the Olympic Charter, imposes religious dress for women athletes.

February 28 - Iran have protested to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about the controversial London 2012 logo, claiming that it is racist and spells the word "Zion".

The jagged, multi-coloured emblem, which reportedly cost £400,000 features four bold numerals representing 2012, with the Olympic Rings emblazoned within the digit zero.

But Mohammad Aliabadi, head of the National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said the logo was undermining the event and accused officials of indulging in "racism". "Unfortunately, we all are witnessing that the upcoming Olympics...faces a serious challenge, definitely spawned out of some people's racist spirit," Aliabadi said in a letter to International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge, that was also signed by Bahram Afsharzade, the secretary general of the Iranian Olympic Committee.

"We appreciate the committee's efforts in line with developing the spirit of Olympism all over the world. We ask for your consideration of the following issue which if neglected, may have destructive effects on the future of sport, especially London Olympic Games in 2012.

"Highlighting the values of Olympic, which ban any sorts of partiality, political, religious and racial measures in this field, may have a leading role to hold London Games better. We have two years ahead to the opening of the games and unfortunately we see the games face with a critical challenge at the beginning which is raised by the racial attitudes of some individuals.

"As internet documents have proved, using the word Zion in the logo of 2012 Olympic Games is a disgracing action and against Olympic's valuable mottos. The use of the word Zion by the designer of Olympics logo...in the emblem of the Olympics Games 2012 is a very revolting act."

Aliabadi even threatened that if Rogge did not take action and persuade London 2012 to change the logo it "affect the participation of several countries, especially like Iran which insists on following principles and values".

Tehran believes the geometrical figures illustrating "2012" in the logo conceal the word "Zion," a term Iranian officials use to describe Israel and its Government, which they do not recognize..

Soon after the logo was unveiled, some Muslim graphists objected to it, saying the logo reminds the world "Zion". But Iran is the first Islamic country which has officially expressed its opposition to the logo.

"We had to show protest against the measure," Aliabadi told the Iranian news agency, INSA. "We intend to write a letter to Asian Olympic Council to call for them to follow up on the issue more seriously."

A spokesman for London 2012 refuted the Iranian's claims. "The London 2012 logo represents the year 2012, nothing else," he told insidethegames. It was launched in 2007 following testing and consultation, we are surprised that this complaint has been made now."

British Prime Minister dons rose-colored sunglasses in Qatar; brings bag of fairy dust with him

From InsideWorldFootball.biz:


February 23 - British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that hosting the 2022 World Cup in Qatar could help to improve attitudes towards homosexuality in the Middle East during an official visit to the Gulf state. [Our note: Well, it's not like Cameron didn't have a rep for spouting crap.]

Qatar was a controversial choice to host the World Cup when the decision was made by FIFA's ruling Executive Committee last December, and homosexuality is outlawed in the country.

During his visit, Cameron spoke of the need for football to be inclusive. "Football is for everybody - no one should be excluded on the basis of their race or religion or sexuality," he said. "I am sure that will be the case when the World Cup comes here [Our note: So he is sure another country will not apply its own laws].

"Football can be a great engine for social change and a change of attitudes - we saw in our own country how football drove racism out of the stands. [Our note: Really? Has this happened? And if it has, was it "football" that drove out racism, or advocacy groups who shamed football into taking action? ]

"Just as that has happened, so too, we need to make sure that there is no place for homophobia in football." [Our note: By holding the premier football event in an officially homophobic country.]

The Prime Minister was speaking alongside his Qatari counterpart Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al Thani, and congratulated him on Qatar's successful bid to host the 2022 competition, describing it as "very persuasive." [Slipping a twenty to the maître d' can be very persuasive.]

Al Thani said that he was relieved not to have been directly asked about homosexuality as he said that was "less embarrassing to me," and made the admission that he did not know the rules of football. [Our note: We certainly move the cause of the fight against homophobia in Arab countries forward by avoiding raising the issue with the homophobes.]

Paris Tournament flyers focus on message of advocacy

Registration for the Paris International Tournament (TIP) is now open. Athletes from participating clubs took part in a photo shoot for a series of flyers that highlight the FSGL's message: "Against all forms of discrimination, let's play sports together". Here is Flavie, a softball player from BK Paris. The message says: "Flavie plays sport against all types of discrimination. Join her!"

The TIP takes place from 10-13 June 2011. Registration is now open at paris-tournament.org.

PFLAG on winner of Straight for Equality in Sports Award Hudson Taylor

Our congratulations to Hudson for this well-deserved honor! From Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays:

Hudson Taylor
2011 Straight for Equality in Sports Awardee

Hudson Taylor is a three-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and Columbia University coach. He is the first three-time All-American in the University of Maryland’s wrestling history and holds several hall-of-fame records. Hudson’s career places him among the top-five pinners in NCAA history. He is currently training to compete internationally with an eye toward the Olympic Games.

Hudson, a heterosexual athlete and a committed GLBT advocate, is determined to eliminate homophobia in sports. After wearing a gay rights sticker on his wrestling headgear during competitions, The Advocate named Hudson one of the “Top 150 Reasons to Have Gay Pride in 2010.” He was also featured on ESPN as a leading GLBT ally.

In December 2010 Hudson founded Athlete Ally, a resource to encourage athletes, coaches, parents, fans and other members of the sports community to respect all individuals involved in sports, regardless of perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

Through social networking campaigns, on-campus trainings and additional practical tools, Athlete Ally encourages athletes, coaches and others to eliminate all forms of homophobia in sports. As a guest lecturer and keynote speaker at schools and colleges across the country, Hudson emphasizes the athlete’s responsibility to lead in the fight for respect and inclusion in sports.

In addition to his work with Athlete Ally, Hudson serves on the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Sport’s Project Advisory Board, led by Dr. Pat Griffin, Professor Emeritus in the Social Justice Education Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This initiative works with K-12 schools to create an athletic environment that encourages respect, safety and inclusion for all students and coaches. Hudson is also authoring a book entitled, The Athlete Ally: Empowering a New Era of Leadership and Inclusion in Sports. A work in progress, The Athlete Ally will inspire and guide coaches, athletes, administrators, fans and parents to redefine sportsmanship and what it means to be an athlete and a leader.

Hudson draws inspiration for his advocacy from his great-great-great grandfather James Hudson Taylor, a 19th century British Protestant missionary to China who converted more than 18,000 people to Christianity. As a result of this lineage, GLBT-affirming Christian groups have turned to Hudson to discuss the intersection of respect and inclusion for LGBT individuals with Christian moral principles.

Scott Fujita on his support for marriage equality

Scott Fujita from Devote Campaign on Vimeo.

UK cricketer Steven Davies comes out

From the Daily Telegraph:

Steven Davies: England cricketer announces he is gay

The England wicketkeeper Steven Davies has announced he is gay – becoming the first professional cricketer to publicly out himself.

The 24-year-old Surrey player said he had decided to make the announcement after months of personal conflict.

In a frank and moving interview with today’s Daily Telegraph, Davies, who started his professional cricketing career with Worcestershire when he was 18, said he could no longer bear to lie about his sexuality.

Davies, who told his family he was gay five years ago and has enjoyed their complete support, said it was a huge relief to finally come clean and be honest with the wider public.

"I'm comfortable with who I am - and happy to say who I am in public," Davies said.

And he said he hoped his decision would help other young gay people to have the confidence to follow in his footsteps.

He explained: “This is the right time for me…I feel it is right to be out in the open about my sexuality. If more people do it, the more acceptable it will become. That must be a good thing.

"To speak out is a massive relief for me, but if I can just help one person to deal with their sexuality then that's all I care about.

Continue reading HERE.
Read the interview HERE.
And read Gareth Thomas's reaction HERE.

10 June 2011 / AquaRomae Swimming Tournament in Rome

IGLA-member Gruppo Pesce Roma is taking advantage of the EuroPride in Rome to organize the 3rd AquaRomae Swimming Tournament.

We hope that you will accept our invitation and that many of you will come to Rome. Let it be your 'Roman Holiday'!
This year the tournament will be an official event within the EUROPRIDE ROME 2011 and will be held on June, Saturday, 11th at 9 a.m., whilst the parade will take place during the afternoon.
At the end of the parade there will be a concert at the Circo Massimo.

For all other events related to the Europride, please visit the website www.europrideroma.com.

Register for the tournament HERE.

Focus on LGBT sports clubs in Ottawa

A story focusing on the Rideau Speedeaus, an IGLA-member club, from the Centertown News:

Local leagues, teams strive for acceptance of gays in sports
Friday, 18 February 2011
By Mbonisi Zikhali

When Graham Ford joined the Rideau Speedeaus swimming club this year, it was a liberating experience for him. He was thrust into an ideal world where as a coach, he did not feel obligated to always explain his sexual orientation.

Some of Graham’s other coaching jobs have been with kids, making his sexual orientation harder to discuss.

“It’s not like I can be extremely open about who I am,” he says. “I try to be open about it, because I think that in this day and age some of these kids need to be exposed and know that some of the people they know are gay.”

The mood feels different for Ford when he is with the Rideau Speedeaus.

“It is nice to have that freedom and atmosphere,” he says. “There is no stigma.”

Ford knows all too well the challenges of competing in sports as a gay man.

When he was in university he experienced some of the stigma involved with homosexuality. Most of it revolved around the changeroom.

“Being gay, especially in male sports, is not easily accepted because male sports usually have the macho-masculine attitude,” he says. “It’s funny because swimming is increasingly expanding as a gay sport. Some swimmers try to resist that and therefore it is becoming increasingly homophobic.”

The Ottawa Rideau Speedeaus d’Ottawa has been around for about 25 years. Although it is primarily a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered swim team; it welcomes members from the straight community also.

Keep reading HERE.

UNESCO and International Association of Sports Newspapers (IASN) join forces to promote sport values

Via SportAndDev:

UNESCO and the International Association of Sports Newspapers (IASN) will join forces to issue quarterly e-bulletins starting in February 2011 to raise awareness of sport’s power and potential in development and peace initiatives, and to encourage young people to become leaders of positive change in their communities.
The bulletins, which will be posted on the UNESCO and IASN websites and circulated through the organizations’ networks, will focus on four topics: sport as a development tool, with a particular focus on Africa; youth empowerment and sport; sport and the fight against racism; and sport and violence prevention.

Each issue will feature a lead article related to current sports events, an interview with a sports personality, a profile of a UNESCO Champion for Sport, items on sports facts and upcoming meetings, a section focused on sport and inclusion, and an article written by a young person on the issue’s main topic.

The bulletins will be the first project under a new partnership between UNESCO’s Section for Youth, Sport and Physical Education and IASN. Together they will develop joint initiatives to broaden the public’s awareness of sport’s potential as a mediator of peace and an accelerator of development. UNESCO is the United Nations’ lead agency for Physical Education and Sport (PES) and supports a number of initiatives that use sports activities to strengthen social ties and networks, and to promote ideals of peace, solidarity, non-violence, tolerance and justice.

The International Association of Sports Newspapers (IASN) was founded in 2008 by leading sports newspapers L'Equipe (France), La Gazzetta dello Sport (Italy), Marca and Mundo Deportivo (Spain), Olé (Argentina) and Lance! (Brazil). Its aim is to promote the values of sport and the interests and freedom of the sports press. The IASN has expanded to represent, today, an average aggregate readership of 15 million worldwide, added to a much larger audience from its members’ other media (45 million for websites, plus radio, TV, etc).

New York Gay Men's Chorus sings "It Gets Better"

Here are some videos for the "It Gets Better" project produced by groups from FGG-member GALA Choruses. Here is the New York Gay Men's Chorus.

Visit our "It Gets Better" page HERE.

GayCities: A look back at 31 July 2010

GayCities Europe editor Paul Brummitt was at Gay Games VIII in Cologne, where he competed in the triathlon. This was his first dispatch for GayCities:

You can already feel the anticipation in the air here in the Cathedral Metropolis on the Rhine.

Even though the city always has a very visible gay presence, you can tell something extra special’s taking place now. It’s the main arrival day for athletes so everyone has time to primp for tomorrow night’s Opening Ceremony at Rheinenergie Stadium.

Keep reading HERE.

Roger Brigham on home-schooled sports sexism

From Roger Brigham's latest column in the Bay Area Reporter:

Perhaps the two most remarkable things about a boy's refusal last week to wrestle a female opponent in the Iowa state high school championships were that a) anyone had to ask if it was an act of sexism; and b) that the talk-show hosts at KNBR pulled themselves away from musing on Pablo Sandoval's diet and Carmelo Anthony trade talk and actually found themselves talking about wrestling.

The hubbub began when home-schooled Joel Northrup, who wrestles at 112 pounds for a high school varsity team in Iowa, forfeited his first match in the state tournament. Wrestling being what it is in Iowa, Joel and his father Jamie Northup felt a press statement was necessary.

"Wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times," Joel Northup told the local media. "As a matter of conscience and my faith, I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high-school sports in Iowa."

Such nobility. Such sacrifice. Such crap.

Keep reading HERE.

En français: Video message from Paris Saint-Germain football club

Paris Saint-Germain has a history of hooliganism and racist violence. But the club is making efforts to improve its performance, and was the first to sign the Charter against homophobia in football.

In this video, featuring celebrities, football stars, and activists against racism and homophobia, the theme is "respect":

Make way for respect.
Our stands are a place for fans to get along with each other.
When racism and homophobia are pushed back, it's our club that moves forward.
We earn respect on the pitch, and in the stands.
At our home stadium, the greatest victory is respect!
Make way for respect!

Anna's story from the Our Group student-athlete blog

An extract from Anna's post on the Our Group blog:

When I got to Penn, I was so excited to be a part of a vibrant, active LGBT community that did not exist at my high school. I started going to Queer Student Alliance meetings and social events. I also began to date Cynthia, a former softball player, a few weeks after I arrived at Penn. Cynthia, like many LGBT athletes, did not feel comfortable being “out” on her team, and so she delayed comi
ng out until her sophomore year.

Through my work on PATH (Penn Athletes and Allies Tackling Homophobia), I met many former athletes (Penn and non-Penn) who quit because they were afraid due to homophobic comments by teammates. Luckily, my PATH friends and I were able to promote tangible change on campus through anti-homophobia visibility campaign and special events.

When I was growing up, I never imagined that it was possible to be both an athlete and openly bisexual. I graduated from Penn last May, but I am still pursuing my dream to become an elite track athlete. I am also still active in the queer community through Our Group and the GLSEN Sports Project.

Read in full HERE:

New York Times profile of Greg Louganis in his new career as a diving coach

From the New York Times (registration required):

FULLERTON, Calif. — The Olympic-size outdoor pool at Fullerton College on a recent afternoon was an aquatics diorama, with a beginners swim class sharing space with a group of seasoned competitors churning out laps. At the far end, in the deep water, three divers practiced their springboard takeoffs.

It might have been an ordinary winter scene in Southern California except for one detail. The coach leaning forward in his chair and speaking so softly that his voice was barely audible over the medley of old pop hits blaring from the loudspeakers was Greg Louganis, considered diving’s Michael Jordan — or Michelangelo.

Louganis, a five-time Olympic medalist, was hired last November by SoCal Divers to coach athletes with wide-ranging ages and abilities. To watch him dissecting a beginner’s front dive tuck during a practice last month was like observing Meryl Streep teaching an introductory acting class.

Louganis became the first man to win consecutive Olympic gold medals (1984 and 1988) in the platform and springboard events, a feat never equaled. He achieved his springboard victory at the Seoul Games in 1988 despite striking the board with his head on his ninth qualifying dive.

In 1982, Louganis became the first diver to be awarded a perfect 10 from all seven judges while performing a reverse two-and-a-half pike at the world championships.

After retiring in 1988, he became a phantom presence in USA Diving, ubiquitous in the record books but otherwise invisible. In the past 23 years, Louganis acknowledged his homosexuality and revealed that he had AIDS, accepted acting jobs and trained dogs for agility competitions.

Continue reading HERE (attention: log in required)

A message to straight pro athletes from Gay Games Ambassador Brian Sims

From an open letter from Gay Games Ambassador Brian Sims in The Advocate:

Right now you’re letting college and high school athletes be the strong ones. You’re asking them to be the heroes, the influential ones, the leaders. I promise that they’re more than happy to share the limelight with you and they could use your support. The deserve it.

America’s young people, and America’s sports fans, know there are gay and lesbian athletes at all levels of sports. They have said that they will support them when they come out. They’ve said that those athletes would be courageous for coming out.

You want the best players on your team and you want to play the best players. Start telling your teammates, coaches and fans that you support your gay teammates. Don’t worry if you don’t know any yet, you’ve got them and they want your help.

You’ve gone to college, traveled the country, worked with countless professionals and had thousands of fans, gay and straight. You already know that you have gay teammates and you’re fine with it. In fact, you’re great with it. Now you need to tell everyone else about it.

Spend time this off-season putting in the work to make next season the best it can be. Work hard in the weight room, on the field, on the court and in the classroom. But also start talking to your friends and teammates about your feelings on gay people.

I guarantee that by this fall, when the NHL, NFL, and NBA seasons are getting started, a few more heroes and leaders on your team just may be playing their best game ever because of you.

Read in full HERE.

Billie Jean King named a "fair play practitioner"

We are pleased to learn of this honor given to Gay Games Ambassador Billie Jean King, as well as to our friends at the Women's Sports Foundation. One can wonder however about an honor that is also given to supporter of anti-gay causes Tony Dungy.

On March 1, 2011, the Institute for International Sport (www.internationalsport.com) will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of National Sportsmanship Day, one of its signature initiatives. National Sportsmanship Day was launched in 1991 by Institute Founder and Executive Director Dan Doyle with the objective of engaging athletes and other community members in thoughtful discussions about the concepts of sportsmanship and fair play. On March 1, thousands of schools, universities, teams, conferences and associations throughout the United States will participate in this worthy initiative.

In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of National Sportsmanship Day, a team of Institute staff members and outside consultants has worked to select 20 living Americans, 20 deceased Americans and 20 American organizations/initiatives that have made significant contributions to the practice of fair play and have enhanced the national consciousness regarding the central importance of sportsmanship. States Doyle, "We wanted to recognize individuals as well as organizations and initiatives that have brought fair play to the forefront through their actions and example. We are privileged to announce who we consider to be an extraordinary team of fair play practitioners."

Compete Magazine now available in bookstores near (some of) you

Find the list of US bookstores where you can now buy Compete Magazine HERE.

30 Sept 2011 / Sailors wanted for Euro Gay Cup

The Euro Gay Cup was established in 2001 in Amsterdam, to allow European gay and lesbian sailors to the opportunity to prepare for Gay Games VI in Sydney. The next Euro Gay Cups were held in 2002 in the Netherlands, in 2003 in Cowes in England, in 2004 in Paris. More recent editions took place in 2005/2006 in Berlin, in 2007/2008 in Brighton, and in 2009 in Finkefee. The Gay Games VIII sailing event took the place of the Euro Gay Cup in 2010.

For 2011, the 9th Euro Gay Cup will take place in Lemmer in the Netherlands, from September 30th to October 3rd.

For the first time, the event will use sailing yachts. Everybody can participate - regardless of gender or sexual orientation! We will sail with teams of 6 peoples per boat (bigger or smaller crews maybe possible, please contact us)! The crews sleep on the vessels. Take advantage of this opportunity to race on the Ijsselmeer!

More info and registration can be found HERE.

Los Angeles Gay Men's Chorus sing "It Gets Better"

Here are some videos for the "It Gets Better" project produced by groups from FGG-member GALA Choruses. Here is the Los Angeles Gay Men's Chorus.

Visit our "It Gets Better" page HERE.

Hockey players moving toward gay acceptance

From Watermark Online:

While most sports are struggling to accept LGBT athletes, hockey is taking extreme steps toward welcoming athletes of all sexual orientations.

In June 2010, the Stanley Cup appeared at Chicago’s annual LGBT Pride Parade. Former Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sopel marched with the Cup in the parade and noted the support of Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke, who made headlines with his support of his openly gay son Brendan in 2009.

Nearly a year after the 21-year-old died following a automobile accident, more hockey players and enthusiasts are stepping forward to ensure tolerance is the norm for the hockey rink.

“When Brendan came out, Brian stood by him, and his whole family stood by him, like every family should,” said Andrew Sopel, president of the Chicago Gay Hockey Association. “We teach our kids about accepting everybody. Tolerate everybody, to understand where everyone is coming from.”

The younger Burke, who was an athlete and student manager at Miami University, inspired the new open-mindedness of local and national hockey leagues, according to Sopel.

Continue reading HERE.

Dutch TV report features Staffordshire University "TopFan" study

From Red Card Homophobia:

Dutch television program Nieuwsuur (Newshour) recently broadcast an interesting news item about homosexuality still being taboo in the world of football, and discussed possible reasons for this. The video featured Huub ter Haar from the John Blankenstein Foundation, Dutch football captain Mark van Bommel, Ellis Cashmore of Staffordshire University, and Michael van Praag chairman of the KNVB.

You can find the English translation of the video HERE.