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Federation of Gay Games News

Here you will find all the latest news from The Federation of Gay Games and on sport and culture in our community. 

If you have any news you would like to include or have any media enquiries please contact the relevant person on our contact page.

You can also check out the history of the Gay Games in photos and videos by visiting our massive online archives HERE.

  • 28 Dec 2019 11:36 | Anonymous

    During December, the organizers of Gay Games 11, Hong Kong 2022 announced four news updates.


    1) FIRST EVER HONG KONG PRIDE RUN A SUCCESS

    Pride Run Hong Kong 2019 held on 1 December, was a resounding and sold out success! This is the first time that a Pride Run or Rainbow Run has been held in Hong Kong. With 450 registrations representing 27 countries, beautiful weather, and an excited crowd, a good time was enjoyed by all! Plans call for this to become an annual event leading up to Gay Games 11 in 2022.

      

    Congratulations to our friends in Hong Kong!

    To read more about this event, CLICK HERE.

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    2) CHRISTOF WITTIG APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING

    On 11 December, the appointment of Christof Wittig was announced as Director Fundraising for Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022. Christof joins with significant experience in the LGBTQ+ community.  He currently serves as CEO and Founder of Hornet, a gay social network established in 2011 with over 25 million diverse users worldwide. Christof has been at the lead of several digital startups.  Christof also serves as the President of the LGBT Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to deliver equality for, and advance the cause of, the LGBT community across the world.


    To read more about this appointment, CLICK HERE.

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    3) SABRINA YANG APPOINTED AS CO-CHAIR OF GAY GAMES 11 HONG KONG 2022

    On 26 December, the appointment of Sabrina Yang was announced as co-chair of the Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022 team, alongside Dennis Philipse.

    Sabrina joined the Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022 management team in September 2018 as Director of Sports. She has been successfully building and leading the sports team working together with NSAs (national sports associations) as well as International LGBT+ sports organisations to organise the 36 sports events in Hong Kong. Sabrina will continue her role as Director of Sports and will now assume in addition the role of co-chair of the team, leading the team to organise the Gay Games in November 2022.


    To read more about this appointment, CLICK HERE.

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    4) EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH 4 HONG KONG SPORTS LEADERS

    To learn the very latest on the LGBTQI sports scene in Hong Kong, check out this exclusive interview with four key members of the Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022 team. This interview was published in COMPETE Magazine on 27 December. Read it HERE.

  • 19 Dec 2019 10:20 | Anonymous

    PRESS RELEASE issued 19 December 2019


    The Federation of Gay Games (FGG) announces the bidding process to host the 2026 Gay Games XII has begun. Cities that are interested in hosting the world’s largest sport and culture event open to all are invited to contact FGGBids@GayGames.net to get more information on, and to start, the bidding process.Official information including details on timeline and process is available at www.GayGames.org. The deadline for submitting an Official FGG Request for Information (RFI) document is 11:59pm Pacific time 21 Feb 2020.

    Gay Games is open to all, and since its debut in 1982 it has continued to perpetuate the legacy of changing cultural, social and political attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people. A core principle of the Federation of Gay Games is “Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best™”. These principles will be represented next in 2022 at Gay Games 11 in Hong Kong. It has never been more important to stand up for the rights of the LGBTQ+ communities around the world.

    The positive financial impact to the host city of the Gay Games is clear, as evidenced by the official economic impact highlights from the 2018 Gay Games X in Paris:

    • Total economic impact: US $117.9 million.
    • Locals and non-locals contributed a total of US $72.7 million to the economy, in the areas of lodging, dining and entertainment, travel and other necessities, and tourism.
    • An additional US $45.8 million was generated in local incomes - roughly the equivalent of 1,429 full-time jobs.
    • 23% of participants were from France (12% from Paris).
    • 40% of local participants said they would have traveled outside Paris, France to participate in theGay Games, taking their spend of US $9.2 million to another region.

    About the Federation of Gay Games

    The Gay Games was conceived by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, as a way to empower thousands of LGBTQ+ athletes and artists through sport, culture, and fellowship. It was first held in San Francisco in 1982. Subsequent Gay Games were held in San Francisco (1986), Vancouver (1990), New York (1994), Amsterdam (1998), Sydney (2002), Chicago (2006), Cologne (2010), Cleveland+Akron (2014), and Paris (2018). Gay Games 11 will be held in Hong Kong in 2022. Visit www.gaygameshk2022.com for more information.

    “Gay Games,” “Federation of Gay Games,” the interlocking circles device, and the phrase“Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best” are trademarks of the Federation of Gay Games, Inc. Trademarks are registered in the USA, Canada, Benelux, the UK, Germany, and Australia.

    Contact Information: 

    Shiv Paul, Officer of Communications. shiv.paul@gaygames.net

    Address:
    584 Castro Street, Suite 343, San Francisco, CA 94114 USA
    Phone: +1-866-459-1261

    Follow us on Social Media:

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  • 14 Dec 2019 14:08 | Anonymous

    FGG member organization International Front Runners (IFR) is proud to announce the election of its new President Chris Rauchle, a member of Sydney Frontrunners and the long-time IFR Australia, Asia Pacific Regional Representative.


    Chris Rauchle with the Sydney Frontrunners


    Chris Rauchle running alongside the Sydney Opera House

    Chris takes over from Danny Luong, who represented IFR at the Paris Gay Games and fostered a landmark partnership with Brooks Running. Danny will continue to oversee the Brooks / IFR scholarship program and we thank him for his service as president of IFR and his continuing involvement. Of note is that Chris is the first President of IFR from outside the United States, which highlights that the fast-growing family of 113 LGBTQ+ running clubs on 5 continents is now comprised of a majority of non-U.S. clubs.


    Chris Rauchle is a 52 year old IT Project Manager originally from Queensland he has been living in Sydney, New South Wales for 30 years.

    He has been running seriously for 15 years. Taking it up as part of triathlon, he found that with the right shoes and enough spare time he could run very much farther than his original distance of 400 meters around his local park. Working his way up from 5k to the half marathon in a series of races in Sydney he eventually took on his first marathon and now enjoys running this distance although he will never win any races. As a side effect of diet and exercise (go figure!) he lost 20kgs (40lb) after taking up running regularly in 2004 and enjoys the time running alone, with the Sydney Frontrunners, or with his "Red Dog" Kelpie, Jessie, in the outdoors when running around his local park, Centennial Park. This is the park the Sydney Frontrunners use for their regular runs.

    Having been involved with the Sydney LGBTQI+ community for 30 years (almost as long as Sydney Frontrunners has been around) Chris has been the Sydney Frontrunners webmaster and been on the Sydney Frontrunners committee in various roles. He has project-managed the charity Little Black Dress Run for five years which has raised up to $54,000 annually for children living with HIV+ and Youth programs. He has been the Asia/Pacific representative for International Frontrunners for four years.

    Chris is interested in growing the organisation in Asia, South America, and Africa. He has visited the cities with Frontrunners clubs in Australia, New Zealand and Japan several times over the last few years for work and pleasure. Not wanting to wait for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia, he and his now husband, John, were married in Wellington, New Zealand in 2015, another city with a vibrant Frontrunners club.

    When the opportunity to be the first President outside of North America presented itself, he leapt at the chance to show the truly global nature of our community of LGTBQI+ runners where it is possible to share good fellowship and exercise in more than one hundred cities around the world.

  • 19 Nov 2019 12:52 | Anonymous

    The FGG recently welcomed to its ranks as a full member organisation the Federacion Mexicana Deportivo de la Diversidad (FMDD). This group is based in Guadalajara but is national in scope, featuring 36 sports on its web site.

    Here is some more information about FMDD:

    Q: What motivated FMDD to apply for FGG membership?

    A: Our motivation came after the bid process for Gay Games 2022. We became truly inspired by Tom Waddell’s legacy, the Gay Games, and decided to move forward in this new project to support our community in Mexico.

    Q: What does it mean to FMDD and your organization to become a member of the FGG?

    A: To become a member of FGG means having the tools to better support and help our LGBTQI sports community while building FMDD. It means that we have international exposure and finally an extensive networking platform.

    Q: How does FMDD plan to engage with the Federation of Gay Games in the upcoming months and years?

    A: As our federation is new, all help and know-how are appreciated. Our plans include providing the FGG with information (updates, invitations, etc.) so that it may be included in the FGG newsletter. It is our main goal to increase the number of Mexican representatives in upcoming Gay Games.

    Q: What events and other activities does FMDD have planned in the next year?

    A: FMDD will generate in a structured and coordinated manner several sporting activities and events in various disciplines throughout the year as well as an annual National Championship.

    Learn more about FMDD on Facebook or at their website.

  • 16 Nov 2019 17:09 | Anonymous

    Founded in 1977, Frameline is the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival. It is the longest-running, largest, and most widely recognized LGBTQ+ film exhibition event in the world.

    On 14 November, in honor of Trans Awareness Week, Frameline proudly presented the movie “Man Made” in Oakland, CA and invited The Federation of Gay Games to help promote this thought provoking and eye-opening documentary.

    Scene from "Man Made"

    FGG Officer of Sports Reggie Snowden and Honorary Life Member Roger Brigham were invited to speak during the post-screening Q & A session. Said Reggie “when Frameline reached out to the Federation in search of support for the screening of “Man Made,” we jumped on the opportunity to show our support by contacting folks in our network to also support this documentary. I also invited everybody in the audience to participate in Gay Games 11 in Hong Kong in November 2022.”

    “Man Made” chronicles the lives of trans male athletes in a sport (bodybuilding) filled with preconceived notions of what the acceptable standard is and challenging themselves on various levels to achieve their personal best on stage and in life. “Man Made” tells the stories of four trans male athletes from different perspectives and goals but shared similar story lines of coming together at the world’s only all transgender bodybuilding competition called Trans Fitcom in Atlanta, Georgia.

    The trans male filmmaker, T Cooper, sacrificed a full year build up for the competition, but it was not only about the competition, but the journeys all four competitors went through. Included were interviews with partners and supporters, their lifestyles including dieting, and even an inspiring search for ones mother’s. After 25 years, Dominic Chilko decided to explore who his biological mother was, and the documentary briefly shows this as it unfolds. “Man Made” showed the personal triumph of trans male athletes who have had top surgery and the emotional elation with first glance after removing the bandages. For some competitors, their dream was to continue bodybuilding in more than Trans Fitcom and this film brought it all together in the end. The camaraderie established among all of them through the sport of bodybuilding and being trans male athletes was commented on during the Q & A after the movie with Dominic Chilko also present.

    To learn more about “Man Made,” click HERE.

    Left to right: Kin Folkz (Q&A session moderator), Reggie Snowden (FGG Officer of Sports), Roger Brigham (FGG Honorary Life Member)


  • 16 Nov 2019 10:53 | Anonymous

    Federation of Gay Games Officer of Site Selection Dave Killian was honored as a “Game Changer” by Connect Sports in their Fall, 2019 issue. A total of 19 industry experts were profiled; that illustrious group included Dave.

    These “Game Changers” are described as follows…

    “Sports tourism is, above all else, a relationship business. Event professionals drive big business to communities through innovative practices and smart networking. Few do this better than these 19 individuals. They are a perfect representation of this close-knit, diverse industry.”

    Well earned, Dave. To read the entire article, click HERE.





    In addition, the Federation of Gay Games was also recognized by Connect Sports as a winner of the 2019 Connect Sports Tourism Excellence Awards. These people, events and facilities were recognized at the Connect Sports Expo in Louisville, Kentucky in late August, 2019. The FGG received a stunning silver ring, pictured below.


     

    Below is a photo of all the Sports Excellence Award winners receiving their rings. Fourth and fifth from the right are Les Johnson (FGG VP of External Affairs) and Dave Killian (FGG Officer of Site Selection).


  • 11 Nov 2019 23:34 | Anonymous

      

    Joint Statement from Federation of Gay Games Board and Gay Games Hong Kong Management Team

    Update on Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022

    San Francisco/Hong Kong, 11 November 2019

    130+ delegates, Honorary Life Members (HLMs), and observers of the international Federation of Gay Games (FGG) from 23 countries recently participated in the Annual General Assembly (AGA) in Guadalajara, Mexico from October 31 - November 2, 2019. The AGA was a great success!

    The Hong Kong Team delivered two sessions to update members on the current state of planning for Gay Games 11. One presentation on the current situation in Hong Kong and the other outlining the progress of the Hong Kong team for the 2022 Gay Games.

    While we fully recognize the troubles in Hong Kong continue, the FGG Board and the attending members are leaving Mexico committed to the Gay Games in Hong Kong which will be a spectacular sports and cultural event that will kickstart and foster LGBTQ+ connections among our communities in the city and region.

    This will be the largest LGBTQ+ sports and cultural event ever held in Asia. 12,000 participants, 36 sports, and 20+ cultural events will take place over 9 days in November, 2022.

    “Hong Kong is an opportunity to make a positive political statement by doing something that is fun and non-threatening and which can change peoples’ perspectives of what it means to be LGBTQ+,” said Gene Dermody, a participant in all ten previous Gay Games.

    We believe in the power of unity that comes from diversity. The Gay Games 11 tagline, Unity in Diversity, is an extremely relevant message not just for the Gay Games but for Hong Kong at this difficult time.

    For more information please reach out to:  hello@gaygameshk2022.com

  • 01 Nov 2019 20:29 | Anonymous

    The Federation of Gay Games is holding its Annual General Assembly in Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico. Much more about this highly productive AGA will be shared in future posts.

    On 1 November, the FGG Board and Assembly were honored to welcome three local politician allies to the AGA. In the photo below, from left to right are: Monica Sanchez, Director of International Affairs for the state of Jalisco; Joanie Evans, FGG Co-President; German Ralis, Minister of Tourism for Jalisco; Sean Fitzgerald, FGG Co-President; and Gerardo Ballesteros de Leon, Sub-Secretary for Human Rights for Jalisco.


    It is worth noting that today (1 November) is also the birthday of Gay Games founder Dr. Tom Waddell. Had he lived beyond 1987, he would have been 82 years old.

  • 21 Oct 2019 12:25 | Anonymous

    In mid-October, the international Federation of Gay Games (FGG), announced the launch of Out Athlete Fund, a global grant giving organization for LGBTQ+ athletes.

    Out Athlete Fund (OutAF) provides grants to LGBTQ+ collegiate athletes and LGBTQ+ Olympic athletes around the world making it the premiere charity supporting out athletes in competitive amateur sports.

    Out Athlete Fund is being fiscally sponsored by the Federation of Gay Games, giving it IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. FGG is incubating the new foundation to accelerate its fundraising capacity and allow it to connect with the broader ecosystems of organizations supporting the cause of equality in sports.

    “The mission of the FGG is built upon the core principles of Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best™. " says Les Johnson, VP External Affairs for FGG, “LGBTQ+ people feel more able to be out today and, often, at an earlier age than when the FGG was founded. All ages of the LGBTQ+ communities have more access to avenues where they can be who they are. We recognize that today's LGBTQ+ athletes need the type of community support that the Gay Games provides. We are excited to be incubating a new organization that will extend our mission into collegiate and Olympic competition.”

    Out Athlete Fund Founder, Alex Soejarto, added “We are thrilled to be sponsored and mentored by the Federation of Gay Games. LGBTQ+ athletes are making a difference and creating change globally by competing as their authentic selves. We are equally excited to offer grants supporting athletes playing openly and making a difference with teammates, competitors, and fans in how LGBTQ+ people are perceived.”

    Out Athlete Fund will deliver services to athletes with the support of FGG’s infrastructure. Over time, OutAF will scale up with committed resources so as to handle the operations of the fund itself while still in an engaged relationship with FGG.

    By supporting LGBTQ+ athletes financially and otherwise, to play in mainstream sports, OutAF enables these athletes to focus on excelling on the field of play, without their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression being an issue or point of discussion.

    Learn more about Out Athlete Fund HERE. Or, contact OutAF founder Alex Soejarto at 415-371-9480 or at info@outathletefund.org

  • 07 Oct 2019 23:44 | Anonymous

    The first Gay Games took place in San Francisco Aug. 28-Sept. 5, 1982, and the 11th edition is set for Hong Kong in 2022.

    All month long, Outsports is revisiting key moments in gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer sports history as part of LGBTQ history month.

    In June, Outsports deputy managing editor Daniel Villarreal wrote about the man who founded the Gay Games: Tom Waddell, one of the 30 out athletes with Stonewall Spirit we honored that month. Here’s his story, and how he came to launch the Gay Games in 1982.

    Read the entire article on Outsports.com HERE.


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