HONG KONG/SAN FRANCISCO, 31 May 2019 - The Federation of Gay Games ( FGG ) together with the Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022's management team announced today the 36 sports which will be offered at the event hosted in Hong Kong in November 2022. For the first time in the history of the Gay Games, E-Sports and Dodgeball are among the sports to be included in the final sports list.
The 36 sports featured at Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022 are:
Aquatic Sports
1. Diving
2. Open Water Swimming
3. Synchronised Swimming
4. Swimming / Pink Flamingo
5. Water Polo
Athletics Sports
6. Marathon: Full
7. Marathon: Half
8. Road Race: 10km
9. Road Race: 5km
10. Track & Field
11. Trail Running
19. Combined Events: Triathlon
Ballgames Sports
12. Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball
13. Dodgeball **
14. Football ( Soccer )
15. Rugby Sevens
16. Softball
17. Volleyball
Cross-disciplinary Sports
18. Cheerleading *
20. Dance Sport
21. E-Sports **
22. Figure Skating*
23. Golf
24. Ten Pin Bowling
Racquet Sports
25. Badminton
26. Squash
27. Table Tennis
28. Tennis
Mat Sports
29. Fencing
30. Martial Arts
31. Physique Bodybuilding
32. Powerlifting
33. Wrestling
Water sports
34. Rowing
35. Dragon Boat Racing
36. Sailing
* Sports which were not featured in the initial proposal ( bid book ) but are now added to the final list due to the large support in the region.
**Sports which were not featured in the initial proposal ( bid book ) but are now added to the final list due to the large support in the region. These sports are also making a historical entry in the Gay Games.
For questions related to specific sports, please email our Sports Director atsports@gaygameshk2022.com .
Sabrina Yang, Gay Games Hong Kong Sports Director said: 'While compiling the list we wanted to make sure that we struck a good balance between traditionally popular sports among Gay Games participants from around the world, and sports enjoyed in the region like Dragon Boat Racing and Dodgeball, as well as new disciplines like E-Sports. It was a bit of a challenge, but I think we have succeeded, and we are looking forward to the best Gay Games ever."
Sean Fitzgerald, co-president of the Federation of Gay Games ( FGG ), thesanctioning body of the Gay Games, is also very excited about the sports that will be included in Hong Kong in 2022: "For the first Gay Games held in Asia, we believe that the sports offered will attract returning Gay Games participants as well as new sports enthusiasts from the region. A perfect mix ensuring that Hong Kong becomes a trailblazer for increased progress in diversity and inclusion in the world's most populous region."
Joanie Evans, co-president of the Federation of Gay Games ( FGG ) echoed the above and also wanted to highlight that the sports list was specially designed to appeal to new demographics including more women, trans and queer individuals and young adults: "Since 1982, the Gay Games have brought together people from all walks of life, without discrimination, around the values of diversity, respect, equality, solidarity, and sharing. I believe the Hong Kong Gay Games will be a perfect example of that."
The Gay Games is a sporting and cultural festival event organized by the LGBT+ community every 4 years, where everyone is welcome to participate regardless of sexual orientation, ability, age, and gender identity. Founded in San Francisco in 1982, the Gay Games have become the world's largest sporting and cultural event open to all led by LGBT+ sports participants, artists, and musicians. The event was most recently hosted in 2018 in Paris, France, and involved over 10,000 participants from 91 countries competing in 36 sport disciplines. The Gay Games pumped 66 million Euros into the local economy. The next Gay Games will be held in Hong Kong in November 2022.
About Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022 Organisers
In the spirit of Gay Games founder, Dr. Tom Waddell, the team behind Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022, led by chairman Dennis Philipse, perfectly illustrates inclusion, diversity, and tolerance with talented members of different age, ethnic, and professional backgrounds. Under the theme, Unity in diversity, the team understands that the core mission of the Gay Games is to promote equality of human beings through the organisation of and participation in an international sporting and cultural event. The spirit of equality is enshrined in the Games' principle of inclusion for individual differences
About the Federation of Gay Games ( FGG )
Since 1982, the FGG mission promotes equality and is the largest sports and culture event in the world open to all. Its legacy changes social, and political attitudes towards LGBT+ people through the core principles of "Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best™". The Gay Games was conceived by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, and 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 ), Paris ( 2018 ), with our upcoming games will be to be held in Hong Kong ( 2022 ).
gaygames.org/ .
—From a press release
