2010

The issue of gay and lesbian participation in sport is still a taboo subject that is usually only talked about behind closed doors, but rarely discussed in the open. There is hardly a single area of society in which the participation of homosexuals seems as abnormal as in sport. Even though society’s attitudes to sexuality have changed, the assumption still remains that sport and homosexuality do not mix; lesbians and gay men are still largely ignored or openly rejected in sport. However, the situation is slowly changing. Various social developments like the fact that sport is becoming a leisure activity [...]

Chris Morgan, openly gay British Powerlifter and defending Gay Games champion, has successfully defended his world deadlift gold medal at the 2010 WDFPF World Single Event Championships in Moscow, Russia. Mr Morgan won the World Open Deadlift Title in the 82.5kg weight class with lifts of 210kg, 240kg and 250kg to clinch the World Drug-Free Powerlifting Championship, held netween April 23 and 25 2010 at the Park Hotel Ognikovo in the Istrinsky district of Moscow. Speaking about the competition, he said: "I’m absolutely delighted to have won my third World Open Gold Medal here at the World Drug-Free Powerlifting Championships, [...]

Participants are coming from more than 70 countries to Cologne. The Rhein Energie Stadium is the venue for the spectacular opening ceremony. The central venues during the games are the villages in the city centre on Neumarkt and Rudolfplatz. In 100 days the Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010 will commence. The German foreign minister Dr. Guido Westerwelle (FDP) will officially open the largest sporting and cultural event in the world in the Rhein Energie Stadium on July 31st. Dr. Westerwelle has taken over the role of patron of the Cologne Gay Games. More than 6500 sportsmen and women from more [...]

On Wednesday 31 March 2010, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a recommendation to member states on measures to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. This is an important achievement, being the first legal instrument in the world dealing specifically with one of the most long-lasting and difficult forms of discrimination to combat. The recommendation, which draws on existing standards in international legal instruments, in particular the European Convention on Human Rights, will advance the enjoyment of all human rights by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. "The recommendation is an expression of [...]

The 2nd World Outgames was voted best event of 2009 in Denmark by the readers of ‘Politiken’, one of the largest national Danish newspapers.. The World Outgames was in close competition with a Greenpeace event held during the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The reasoning of the jury was the following: “5,500 temporary settlers were welcomed by residents of Copenhagen. For an entire week, there was open celebration of love with a surplus on the love-account.” And the readers of Politiken did agree and voted in large numbers Outgames the best event of 2009. Uffe Elbaek, former [...]