2010

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 [...]

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.  

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 [...]

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 [...]