Sports
D.C. Gay Flag Football League hosts Gay Bowl XVI this weekend
‘Come as you are and play your heart out’
The D.C. Gay Flag Football League well welcome players from all over the U.S. and Canada for Gay Bowl XVI this weekend. (Washington Blade file photo by Vladyslav Rekhovskyy)
It has been seven years since a group of pick-up players and their travel teams hosted Gay Bowl IX on the threadbare fields of Carter Barron in Rock Creek Park.
The championship in 2009 was the impetus for the formation of the D.C. Gay Flag Football League, so it’s fitting they’re hosting this year’s event because of the strength of their league.
Gay Bowl XVI will take place on 11 polo fields at West Potomac Park this weekend with the National Mall serving as an inspirational backdrop as the players vie for the three championship trophies. More than 750 athletes and referees on 40 teams from 21 cities across the United States and Canada will be welcomed to a world-class sporting event along with a full social calendar that will showcase the LGBT scene of Washington.
At this year’s Gay Bowl, D.C. will field five men’s teams and one women’s team. These five squads are the travel teams and they are separate from League teams. There is a tryout and selection process that follows strict protocols similar to the league’s draft system. There is currently a waiting list just to try out for the travel teams.
The first season of the D.C. Gay Flag Football League in 2010 consisted of seven teams and though interest was high for expansion, the League carefully created a structure of growth that kept the quality of play at a high level. The growth was limited partially by the grooming of quality quarterbacks, but also with a design on having the most balanced teams possible. Now in Season XIII, the League is at 20 teams with 300 players.
One thing that stands out in the League is its diversity. The League has a “come-as-you-are-and-play-your-heart-out” mentality that draws people from all walks of life.
“We bring people from diverse parts of D.C. and I think it is the best part of the league,” says Chris Comier, founding board member and co-chair of Gay Bowl XVI. “We have players that range from the military to Capitol Hill and we are all sexual identities, ethnicities and genders.”
The league has struggled over the years to maintain a high number of female players and is at close to 20 women this season. It does not utilize the special rules that are put in place for women players in some flag-football leagues.
Former NCAA Division I basketball player Nikki Kasparek says when she started in the League in 2012, the male players weren’t utilizing the female players to their capacity. That has since changed.
“They wouldn’t play defense on us and ultimately the quarterbacks starting throwing the ball to us. I was scoring one to two touchdowns per game,” Kasparek says. “I’m not getting that anymore. We are athletes, we are assets and we are rock stars. If you don’t guard us, we will score.”
Some straight players such as Peter Sima, who has played in the League since 2010, say sexual orientation is a non issue. He’s been on some of the League’s travel teams and played at Chicago’s Pride Bowl.
“There is no thought in this League as to what you are,” Sima says. “There is also no ‘in crowd’ and as a straight player, I immediately felt welcomed.”
The League is also supportive of the trans community and one player (who wishes to remain anonymous) has found support from the league during his transition. He has been a player since 2011.
“I have a really awesome core group of friends in the DCGFFL that I trust,” he says. “My friends have been supportive of my journey and that has made me really happy to be a part of this League.”
The closing party for Gay Bowl XVI will be held at Howard Theater and after a weekend of playing in the presence of America’s national monuments, the players will be sent off in D.C. style just a few blocks from the White House.
“We want everyone to say it was the most enjoyable and most memorable Gay Bowl yet,” Comier says. “And oh yea, we want all three trophies.”
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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