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| Multisports | EGLSF AGA 2010 | Europe |  08. March 2010 | | Historic EGLSF Assembly | This weekend’s European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation Annual General Assembly, held in Manchester, UK was infused with a sense of history from the start. The meeting of sports clubs from throughout our continent saw delegates from Eastern (Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria), Southern (Spain, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia), Northern (Finland, Denmark), Central (Poland, Hungary, Germany) and Western (France, Belgium, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Ireland) Europe.
The weekend began with a reception in the Manchester Museum, built in 1867, and continued with an personal welcome of all delegates by the Mayor of Manchester in the City’s beautifully ornate neo gothic Town Hall. A tour of the City’s major sports venues completed the itinerary; arenas in which sports men and women from throughout the world continue to make their own contributions to the history books.
For LGBT sports people, however, the most historic moment occurred within the Assembly itself, when the Co-Presidents of the Federation of Gay Games (FGG), Emy Ritt and Kurt Dahl and the Co-Presidents of Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association (GLISA) Julia Applegate and Wessel Van Kampen outlined a proposal for future collaboration between the two organisations, which includes the proposal to organise a joint world event in 2018.
The proposal has yet to be agreed by the Boards of both organisations, but European sports groups are hoping for a full commitment in the not too distant future. As Pepe Garcia Vazquez, male Co-President of EGLSF explains:
“Many of our member clubs have expressed a desire for a return to a single quadrennial global LGBT sport event. The joint statement received a standing ovation lasting almost two minutes at the Assembly! This surely demonstrates how important this is to our membership.”
The Assembly also agreed important actions on a range of European LGBT sports development issues and saw the election of new Board members Marie Kampmann (Denmark) and Armelle Mazé (France) as well as the re-election of Treasurer Juha Meronen (Finland). Existing UK Board member Louise Englefield was elected to the position of Female Co-President. Speaking in the wake of the Joint GLISA/FGG statement, Louise said:
“I’m honoured to have been elected by the EGLSF membership to this role and I am hugely proud to join Pepe in leading the Board through this exciting period in LGBT sporting history.”
EGLSF invites you to express support for the initiative of having a joint global event by sending an email both to FGG and GLISA - info@gaygames.org and info@glisa.org | | Related URL link: www.eglsf.info | | Submitted by: EGLSF | | | | | | | Football/Soccer | Volunteer Recognition | Germany |  01. March 2010 | | Tanja Walther-Ahrens receives award from local FA | | Tanja Walther-Ahrens, the EGLSF representant at Football Against Racism Europe (FARE) and board member of the Berlin lesbian sports club Seitenwechsel (Germany) has been selected Volunteer of the Year by the Berlin FA out of 60 nominees. It is a good sign that the quite traditional Berlin FA
award a lesbian activist for her fight against homophobia and her volunteer work in a lesbian sports club. Today 20 girls and 80 women play football at Seitenwechsel. Thanks to Tanja and other volunteers. | | Related URL link: | | Submitted by: Conny Kempe-Schälicke | | | | | | | Multisports | Olympic LGBT salute | North America |  22. February 2010 | | PRIDE House at Winter Olympics | As the Winter Olympics began last week in Vancouver, the LGBT community has had a very special reason to celebrate. Media from all over Canada and the world were present to witness the opening of the first ever ‘PRIDE House’ associated with an Olympics.
PRIDE House is unofficial welcome centre for LGBT athletes whose aim is to educate as well as provide a safe and welcoming venue for gay and lesbian athletes, coaches, friends and families. Based in Vancouver’s gay village, PRIDE House is located approximately 20 minutes from the Olympic Village.
Whilst neither the Vancouver Organizing Committee nor the IOC is partners in the project and the group is being careful to tell sponsors that their rights will only be displayed within the house itself, organisers have said that Vanoc staff have offered moral support.
Mark Tewksbury, former Olympic swimmer, who visited PRIDE House during the Games' opening weekend, said such a venue would never have been tolerated when he was competing. Tewksbury, who announced he was gay in 1998, won gold and bronze medals in the 1992 Barcelona Games and a silver medal in Seoul in 1988.
"Being at the Olympics was like being in an occupied country where you're never sure who you can talk to," said Tewksbury, who published the book Inside Out: Straight Talk from a Gay Jock in 2006. "If I made a mistake, it could have been the end of my livelihood and that climate is definitely [still] present." Life for gay athletes is still difficult, but the climate is changing, Tewksbury said.
"These Olympics have turned out to be very magical because I'm a very openly gay athlete and I was invited [by Vancouver's Olympic Organizing Committee] to speak to the Canadian team before they walked into the [opening ceremony], as who I am … as a gay athlete."
The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics also included a performance by K D Lang, the internationally acclaimed lesbian singer songwriter.
EGLSF asked Stephen Frost, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at London 2012 how the London Olympics would be furthering this spirit of inclusion -
"For us at London 2012, Diversity & Inclusion is a defining aspect of the Games. We actively encourage LGBT people to take part, whether as an employee or a volunteer, by going for business or through being a spectator. For the many ways to get involved, check out www.london2012.com." | Related URL link: www.pridehouse.ca Download More Information  | | Submitted by: EGLSF | | | | | | | Multisports | Winter Olympics 2010 | North America | | 22. February 2010 | | GLISA sponsors PRIDE House | As a sponsor, the board of directors of the Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association (GLISA) is proud to announce the opening on February 8, 2010 of PRIDE House, the gaythemed retreat for athletes, coaches and all visitors to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
Organizers believe PRIDE House can help fight homophobia in sports and the general public, according to Gay Whistler CEO Dean Nelson. While they hope gay athletes will use the Pride House to declare pride in their sexual orientation, the House is open to all. “Anybody with an open mind is welcome to drop in,” Nelson said. “We anticipate that quite a few people coming in will be straight people who are curious about what we’re doing and what it’s like to be a gay athlete. We hope it will instil more confidence to all athletes to be authentic.”
Featured in PRIDE House will be various art installations including a presentation of Jeff Sheng’s ‘Fearless’ project, a photo series of openly gay high school and collegiate athletes A speaker’s chalet will be set up where people can share their stories on tape. “In no way does it imply the person’s sexual orientation,” Nelson said. “Also we are working with local sporting communities to let them know that this pavilion is available for everyone to come by and have a comfortable place to meet new friends.” | | Related URL link: www.glisa.org Download More Information | | Submitted by: EGLSF | | | | | | | Football/Soccer | Campaign | United Kingdom |  19. February 2010 | | Football V Homophobia | The Justin Campaign, a campaign launched in memory of Justin Fashanu, the world’s first and only out gay professional football player; is to launch an international day opposing homophobia in football – Football v Homophobia on February 19th 2010. The days intention is to raise awareness of the prevalence of homophobia in the world’s favourite sport and unite individuals, clubs and organisations in working against it.
Community football teams throughout the UK, Europe and America will be showing their support for the cause by holding a series of football matches and fun events throughout the day under the banner of Football v Homophobia. The Justin Campaign’s football team in association with Norwich LGBT Pride Collective will be kicking off the celebrations with a triage of fun community events throughout the day and a football tournament taking place at Carrow park in Norwich on February 19th where Fashanu began his career. Amal Fashanu, John Fashanu’s daughter will be there to open the event with David McNally Chief Executive of Norwich FC attending to show his support.
The launch of Football v Homophobia comes a week after the FA decided to cancel the launch of their anti-homophobia in football video.
John Amaechi, Former NBA basketball player said: "I have been pleased to watch the continued growth of the Justin Campaign, not only because it honours a fantastic football player whose time was cut tragically short, but also because much of the real work to end prejudice and homophobia in sports, must be done by those fans and participants who are actively involved. The hard task of equality is made easier by the involvement of grass-roots organisations like the Justin Campaign. As I examine the FA’s recent anti-homophobia advert debacle, I am saddened to note that their £10,000 budget would have been far better invested in the Justin Campaign."
Despite the postponement of the launch, a number of clubs have stood in support of Football v Homophobia. Tom Harverson, External Affairs Executive at The Football League said: “The Football League welcomes any work that helps to combat homophobia in society. We wish the campaign every success and are delighted that a number of our clubs are backing this initiative.” | | Related URL link: www.thejustincampaign.com/fvh.htm | | Submitted by: EGLSF | | | |
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