Recent decisions and changes in Berlin have resulted in renewed efforts to reconcile differences over the future of the Gay Games movement. Conflict arose during two years of negotiations between the international Federation of Gay Games and Montreal 2006, the originally designated host of Gay Games VII. After negotiations met an impasse, the FGG re-opened bidding and Chicago was selected as the host of the 2006 Games. Montreal decided to hold an event the same summer and funded the creation of an organization—the Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association—to serve as a rival to the FGG. GLISA then created a rival to the Gay Games, called it the OutGames, and awarded the title back to Montreal for its 2006 event. Games Berlin e.V., an organization originally set to bid for Gay Games VIII in 2010, then declared its intent to bid on OutGames II, scheduled for 2009.
A series of stunning developments in early October have changed the landscape significantly. Vorspiel, Berlin's largest LGBT sports organization, issued a press release on Oct. 1 declaring it would not support the OutGames II bid. 'There are forces in Berlin that would like to bid for the OutGames 2009 ... . As of yet, there have been no other cities which have shown an interest in hosting the OutGames 2009. We are convinced that the bid for, and realization of the OutGames 2009 in Berlin would deepen the rift in our community and damage our reputation in the media and to potential sponsors. In addition, Vorspiel SSL Berlin e.V. sees considerable weaknesses in the Organization of both GLISA and the OutGames: Montreal 2006 has invested heavily in the creation of GLISA, making it completely dependent on the success of the OutGames in Montreal to survive.' The release ends by calling upon Berlin to return to a bid for the Gay Games in 2010.
Around this same time, the openly gay Mayor of Berlin wrote to Games Berlin e.V. and notified them that he could not continue to support a bid for a rival event and that he would only support a bid for a unified event. He also ended city funding to that group effectively immediately. Games Berlin e.V. met on Oct. 6 and the next day wrote to both the Federation of Gay Games and GLISA urging reconciliation, and inviting both organizations to come to Berlin for discussions. Press reports also noted that Games Berlin e.V. had suspended its bid for OutGames II but would be interested in bidding on a 'joint event' scheduled for 2009 or 2010.
GLISA issued a press release the next day accepting the offer. The Federation of Gay Games, however, is in a more complicated position.
'There are two issues here,' the FGG Executive Committee stated in a letter back to Games Berlin expressing support for their overall goal. 'One is the unity of the global LGBT sports movement. The FGG obviously agrees that the ideal is for everyone to share the same goals of LGBT emancipation through sport. The FGG's annual meeting is in just a few short weeks in Cologne and of course we will discuss the matter in relation to current events at that time.'
'The second is about the possibility of Games Berlin's interest in hosting an event in 2009 or 2010. The Federation has a site selection process for Gay Games VIII in 2010 already under way that will be implemented in an impartial and fair manner to all bidding city organizations beginning next year.'
Sources report that four potential bidding cities from Europe, Africa and North America will send delegations to orientation sessions scheduled for the meeting in Cologne, Germany. The FGG invited Games Berlin to attend the Gay Games VIII bidding orientation session, and also noted that it had added the reconciliation issue to the agenda for a community meeting scheduled to take place in Cologne.
Chicago Games Inc., host of Gay Games VII in Chicago in 2006, has been consulted during these developments, and has deferred to the FGG on this issue, as it involves the long-term concerns of the Gay Games. CGI spokesperson Kevin Boyer said, 'We welcome any effort that can bring together the worldwide LGBT sports community in a spirit of unity and pride and we will support the FGG in any way appropriate as they work toward this goal.'
View the FGG's letter back to Berlin at www.gaygames.com/en/FGGtoGamesBerlin.pdf
Tracy Baim is publisher of Windy City Times and co vice-chair of Chicago Games Inc.
