Sports
Formation hurdles
Dearth of opportunities in region remain in some sports
Ben Takai competing at the IGLA World Championships in Honolulu in 2011. (Photo by Cliff Betita)
About 40 local LGBT sports teams and clubs gathered for the annual Team D.C. SportsFest. The event, held April 9, is an opportunity for the teams to recruit new athletes and a chance for members to mingle.
Washington is home to one of the largest LGBT sports communities in the world, but there are still a few major sports missing from the local offerings.
Last summer at the 2014 Cleveland/Akron Gay Games, Team D.C. sent athletes in close to 25 sports and medaled in 18 of those sports. Wrestling, ice hockey and diving are just a few of the sports that had no local representation. There was one local athlete in the wrestling offshoot sport of grappling.
While ice hockey and wrestling are definitely more popular in the Midwestern and northern United States, diving is contested all across the country. The LGBT masters divers who compete nationally are spread out in various cities and train with straight teams.
New York City and Paris are home to the largest LGBT diving communities in the world. Croft Vaughn is the head diving coach for Team New York Aquatics and he was recruited in 2010 to launch its LGBT diving program.
Vaughn says it’s hard to have an LGBT masters diving team outside of a large metropolitan area, but not impossible.
“Most of the masters’ divers are former competitors who want to stay active in the community and train to keep their form and technique,” Vaughn says. “The inexperienced divers who come in are looking to discover something new.”
Competitions available for the LGBT diving community include the annual International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics Championships, the Gay Games, the World OutGames and the EuroGames. Most of the LGBT divers also compete in straight competitions.
In the platform portion of the sport, USA Diving has set rules as precautionary measures for the masters’ divers who hit speeds of 30 mph when they dive off the 10-meter platform.
“Dives with higher degrees of difficulty are only permitted off the 5 meter and 7 meter platforms,” says Vaughn. “For that reason, you don’t see many dives off the 10-meter platform in masters diving.”
The obstacles for someone who wants to start a diving team includes access to facilities, coaching and the dreaded Speedo, he says.
“It isn’t a sport that you can practice on your own, so you need good coaching,” says Vaughn. “Another hindrance is convincing people who have been heavily socialized to wear a speedo and put their bodies in awkward positions.”
Locally, there are masters diving teams at the Montgomery Dive Club and the Alexandria Dive Club. Both clubs offer access to good facilities and coaching.
Ben Takai grew up in Montgomery County and began his sports career in gymnastics at age 7. When a visiting Soviet coach pointed out that he was going to be too tall for the sport, he switched to diving and swimming.
The coach’s words turned out to be prophetic as Takai grew to 6 feet, 3 inches and went on to become an all-American diver and swimmer at Watkins Mill High School.
“Springboard divers are generally known for their strength and power,” Takai says. “Judges are looking for long lines in platform diving, so that event suited me because of my height and thin stature.”
Takai, 33, also competed as an out diver at Bates College in Lewiston, Me., and post-college joined the Montgomery Dive Club to train for one last competition.
As part of the contingent from the District of Columbia Aquatics Club, Takai traveled to Honolulu for the 2011 International Gay and Lesbian World Championships where he won three gold medals in diving and three gold medals in swimming.
He is no longer diving and points to several reasons including the wear and tear on one’s body from the sport.
“I have accomplished many fantastic things in diving and don’t feel the need to compete again,” says Takai. “However, there are many possibilities in this world.”
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.
Defunding LGBTQ groups is a warning sign for democracy
Blade welcomes spring intern
Top Democrats reintroduce bill to investigate discrimination against LGBTQ military members
From the Pentagon to politics, Bree Fram fighting for LGBTQ rights
Task Force urges renewed organizing amid growing political threats
Trump-appointed EEOC leadership rescinds LGBTQ worker guidance
‘Heated Rivalry’ stars to participate in Olympic torch relay
LGBTQ Ugandans targeted ahead of country’s elections
A ‘Battle’ we can’t avoid
