Sports
Paris to host 2018 Gay Games
D.C. did not bid for quadrennial sporting event
‘Paris proposed a wide range of sports in quality venues,’ Gay Games announced on Monday. (Photo by Waithamai; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)
The Federation of Gay Games announced on Monday that it has selected Paris, France as the site for its 2018 quadrennial international sports competition – Gay Games X – that’s expected to attract more than 10,000 spectators and athletes.
The announcement came at a ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, which is the site for Gay Games IX set for Aug. 9-16, 2014. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, a strong backer of Cleveland’s winning bid for the games four years ago, was given the honor of making the announcement.
A statement released by the FGG says the organization’s board of directors and international delegates representing LGBT sports groups from countries throughout the world voted Monday to select Paris as the host city following a lengthy process of reviewing bids from five cities.
Earlier this year, Orlando, Fla. and Amsterdam, Holland were eliminated from contention, leaving Paris, London and Limerick, Ireland as finalists leading up to this week’s vote.
“The international delegates and board of directors of the Federation of Gay Games voted at the end of a three-day meeting featuring site inspection reports, question-and-answer sessions, committee reviews and, a highlight of the event, the oral presentation by each bidding organization,” a statement issued by the FGG says.
“Paris proposed a wide range of sports in quality venues, many of which offer good visibility for the event,” the statement says. “French LGBT sport organizations already have a great deal of experience hosting international multi-sport tournaments, and their LGBT community presents outstanding cultural events…And of course Paris is a great destination to visit or revisit,” it says.
The statement adds that the French team promoting the bid came with “demonstrable political support, including Minister for Sport Valerie Fourneyron and five-time Olympic fencing medalist Laura Flessel, who were part of the presentation team.”
The statement praised organizers of the bids from London and Limerick, saying the quality of their bids was “superb.”
Les Johnson, the FGG’s co-chair for external affairs and a delegate for Team D.C., a coalition of D.C.-area LGBT sports groups, said he expects as many as 500 attendees from the D.C. area to participate in next year’s Gay Games in Cleveland.
Johnson said that D.C., which lost its own bid to host the Gay Games to Cleveland four years ago, decided not to bid this year for the 2018 games.
“I believe Washington, D.C. decided not to bid due to our relative geographical closeness to Cleveland,” Johnson told the Blade.
Others involved with Team D.C. have said it would be highly unlikely for the FGG to select a city from the same country for two successive Gay Games.
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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