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| Olympic diving superstar Greg Louganis participated in his first Gay Games in 1994. There are two competing international gay sporting events scheduled for next summer, forcing gay athletes to choose between Chicago and Montreal. (Photo by Chrystyna Czajkowsky/AP)
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HOME > NEWS > NATIONAL NEWS
By: LOU CHIBBARO JR. COMMENTS
 
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Coming on the heels of similar financial problems with the previous two Gay Games in Amsterdam and New York, the FGG pushed through a series of rules changes that required the Montreal committee to turn over financial control of the event to the FGG. Up until that time, the committees for the host cities had full financial control over the events.
Former Olympic swimmer trong>Mark Tewksbury has taken a lead role in preparing for the first Out Games, scheduled for next summer in Montreal. (Photo by Ahn Young-Joon/AP) |
Among other things, the FGG wanted Montreal to scale back its initial budget from 24,000 participants to 12,000, saying a 24,000 turnout appeared unrealistic and could lead to financial problems similar to Sydney’s. FGG officials also requested that Montreal not link its sporting events to a planned international gay rights conference and to Montreal’s annual Gay Pride event known as Diver/sité. In addition, the FGG objected to the Montreal committee’s plans to link the Game Games to various circuit parties that have been associated with Diversité.
“This just came out of the blue after we put together a detailed and what we thought was a highly successful business plan,” said Mark Tewksbury, an Olympic athlete and one of the Canadians organizing the Montreal Games.
Tewksbury and other leaders of Montreal 2006 called the FGG rule changes unfair. They point out that nearly all of Montreal’s plans for the 2006 Gay Games — the projected 24,000 participants, the link to the Diver/sité Gay Pride festivities, and the international gay conference — were submitted to the FGG as part of Montreal’s bid for the games. No one raised objections to any of these proposals at that time, Tewksbury said.
Brigham, the communications director for FGG, said the organization’s international governing body, which includes representatives from nations in Europe and North America, approved the rules changes after assessing the financial problems encountered by Gay Games committees in New York, Amsterdam and Sydney.
“The income projections have always been overblown,” he said. “We are concerned about hurting local gay businesses,” he said, noting that gay-owned businesses that have provided services to help put on the games often have been stiffed when the committees run out of money.
Brigham said FGG officials also decided — based on what he said was consultation with gay sporting teams in North America and abroad — that the Gay Games should stick to its original role as a sports event, with some performing arts and cultural activities like gay chorus and band performances. Linking the games with other events such as circuit parties, political conferences, and Pride events — as proposed by Montreal — would not be consistent with the Gay Games and its “mission” to promote the gay sports move
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