The Federation of Gay Games general assembly elected a new female co-president and seven new board members on 27 October at its annual meeting in San Francisco, capping a year of record growth in organisations associated with the Federation. This year’s annual meeting was the first for the new general assembly following the Federation’s November 2006 restructuring in Lyon, France. The 2007 meeting concluded just days before the 1000-day countdown to Gay Games VIII in Cologne, Germany, which runs from 31 July through 7 August 2010. The annual meeting included a variety of workshops facilitating productive working relationships among the assembly’s international members. A meeting highlight was the enthusiastically received presentation by the 2010 host organisers from Cologne.
Emy Ritt was elected the Federation’s new female co-president after Kathleen Webster announced her retirement. Webster served in the position since 2001. Sion O’Connor continues as the male co-president. Each co-president is elected in alternating years. Ritt will also continue to hold the vice president of host relations position, permissible under board rules. Among the seven new board members are residents of Sydney and Paris. They joined another six re-elected to this year’s thirteen open positions. Both assembly and board members vote in board elections.
The annual meeting was held 24-29 October in San Francisco in conjunction with the 25th anniversary celebration of the first Gay Games. San Francisco hosted several social events including a well-received legacy dinner and community day. Attendees also toured the exhibit featuring 25 years of Gay Games memorabilia in the James C. Hormel Center of the San Francisco Public Library.