Sports
Sportin’ in D.C.
D.C. Aquatics Club has AIDS benefit race this weekend
District of Columbia Aquatics Club members at a recent charity swim. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Majoros)
Back in 1996, I was competing in triathlons in the Mid-Atlantic region and was cross training in multiple sports. A former swimming rival from Ohio, Paul Frentsos, told me about an LGBT swim team in D.C. called the District of Columbia Aquatics Club (DCAC). I ended up competing with them at the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatic (IGLA) Championships that year and have been a member ever since.
The team began in 1987 when a few of the members of the Washington Wetskins water polo team decided to compete in swimming as well as water polo at the IGLA Championships that year. DCAC is a member of both United States Masters Swimming (USMS), which boasts more than 42,000 master swimmers and IGLA. Over the years, DCAC has grown to become one of the largest masters swim teams in the Potomac Valley region with around 150 members. It consists of athletes who have never competed in a swim meet to world record holders.
Competitive swimmers compete in three different types of pools, short course yards (25 yards), short course meters (25 meters) and long course meters (50 meters). DCAC offers practices during the winter at the Takoma Aquatic Center, Marie Reed Recreation Center and Montgomery College. In the summer, it offers the opportunity for long course training at Haines Point.
To become a member of DCAC, you must first join U.S. Masters Swimming which is $37 per year. With that fee, you will receive Swimmer Magazine, the Swimmer’s Ear (a Potomac Valley publication), some minor accident insurance and the opportunity to compete in swim meets. The DCAC fees are $35 per year along with pool dues which are contingent on how often you train.
The group offers 90-minute practices six times per week. The practices, which are run by paid coaches, emphasize stroke technique, building strength, endurance and aerobic conditioning. The team itself is run entirely by swimmers who volunteer their time.
On Saturday, DCAC will host the 20th annual Maryland Swim for Life in Chestertown, MD. The event is sanctioned by United States Masters Swimming and will begin and end at Rolph’s Wharf on the Chester River. Athletes have the choice of competing in 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- or 5-mile open water races and must raise $100 to participate. Proceeds from the event benefit various small organizations that assist individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS in the D.C. metropolitan area, along with the Chester River Association.
According to Wonkee Moon, co-race director, DCAC plans to welcome about 150 competitors from across the Mid-Atlantic region in hopes of raising $20,000 for local charities.
DCAC has hosted the Swim for Life event for 10 years and has helped raise over $200,000 during that time.
After they wrap up their open water event this weekend, the swimmers will be turning their efforts to the pool as they head to Honolulu where they will compete in the IGLA World Championships from July 6-10. DCAC is sending 42 swimmers who range in age from 23 to 68 and will be competing for the large team trophy.
DCAC won the large team trophy for the first time at the 1995 IGLA Championships in Montreal. Its swimmers continued to win the trophy awarded to the team amassing the most points in eight of the next 10 IGLA Championships where they were eligible for prize. Good luck to the globetrotting swimmers as they try to grab the IGLA Championships for the ninth time. More information on the team can be found at www.swimdcac.org.
Sports
‘Heated Rivalry’ stars to participate in Olympic torch relay
Games to take place next month in Italy
“Heated Rivalry” stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will participate in the Olympic torch relay ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics that will take place next month in Italy.
HBO Max, which distributes “Heated Rivalry” in the U.S., made the announcement on Thursday in a press release.
The games will take place in Milan and Cortina from Feb. 6-22. The HBO Max announcement did not specifically say when Williams and Storrie will participate in the torch relay.
The Washington Capitals will host Pride Night on Saturday, Jan. 17, when they host the Florida Panthers at Capital One Arena. A special ticket offer featuring a Pride-themed Capitals rainbow jersey is available at washcaps.com.
Fans are invited to a pre-game Block Party at District E beginning at 5 p.m. The event will feature a performance by the band NovaKane. Specialty happy hour food and beverages will be available, as well as giveaways. There will also be a presence by several local LGBTQ+ community organizations.
Egypt
Iran, Egypt object to playing in Seattle World Cup ‘Pride Match’
Game to take place on June 26
Iran and Egypt have objected to playing in a “Pride Match” that will take place in Seattle during the 2026 World Cup.
The Egyptian Football Association on Tuesday said it told FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström in a letter that “it categorically rejects holding any activities related to supporting (homosexuality) during the match between the Egyptian national team and Iran, scheduled to be held in Seattle, USA, on June 26, 2026, in the third round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.” Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran President Mehdi Taj told ISNA, a semi-official Iranian news agency that both his country and Egypt “protested this issue.”
The 2026 World Cup will take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The draw took place at the Kennedy Center on Dec. 5.
Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death.
The State Department’s 2023 human rights report notes that while Egyptian law “did not explicitly criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, authorities regularly arrested and prosecuted LGBTQI+ persons on charges including ‘debauchery,’ prostitution, and ‘violating family values.’” Egyptian authorities “also reportedly prosecuted LGBTQI+ individuals for ‘misuse of social media.’”
“This resulted in de facto criminalization of same-sex conduct and identity,” notes the report.
The 2024 human rights report the State Department released earlier this year did not include LGBTQ-specific references.
Soccer has ‘unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs’
The June 26 match between Iran and Egypt coincides with Seattle Pride. The Washington Post reported the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Local Organizing Committee decided to hold the “Pride Match” before last week’s draw.
“As the Local Organizing Committee, SeattleFWC26’s role is to prepare our city to host the matches and manage the city experience outside of Seattle Stadium,” said SeattleFWC26 Vice President of Communications Hana Tadesse in a statement the committee sent to the Washington Blade on Wednesday. “SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament, partnering with LGBTQ+ leaders, artists, and business owners to elevate existing Pride celebrations across Washington.”
“Football has a unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs,” added Tadeese. “The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian-American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora, and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle. We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect, and dignity that defines our region.”
The 2034 World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia.
Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death in the country. The 2022 World Cup took place in neighboring Qatar, despite concerns over the country’s anti-LGBTQ rights record.
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