Chicago Games Inc – the organising team for the 2006 event, officially endorsed by the Federation of Gay Games – said the withdrawal of the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF) from the FGG board of directors was distorted by organisers of the rival breakaway event, Montreal 2006.
Montreal was originally given the right to host the 2006 event but clashed with FGG chiefs over budgets. The FGG withdrew its support and in recent weeks awarded the event instead to Chicago.
Said a statement from the Chicago organisers: “We are disappointed that the EGLSF chose to end its membership on the board of directors of the Federation of Gay Games. Issues like these are best dealt with through active engagement and we regret that the EGLSF and the FGG will no longer have an official relationship whereby these concerns can be addressed.
“Montreal 2006 omitted a key fact however. At its March 6-7 Amsterdam meeting the entire EGLSF assembly stressed repeatedly its strong support for the Gay Games, and specifically Gay Games VII in Chicago. A Gay Games Liaison Committee was formed to encourage and facilitate broad European participation in the Gay Games, to serve as a basis for the exchange of ideas and concerns, and to demonstrate the EGLSF’s ongoing commitment to Gay Games VII in Chicago. Just today we have had reconfirmation of this commitment to supporting both events in 2006.”
“We have already begun negotiations with the EGLSF for the same exchange of contact information and reciprocal website links as Montreal 2006 and we will have a large and visible presence at the 2004 EuroGames in Munich. European participation in Gay Games VII is important to both EGLSF and Chicago Games and we look forward to welcoming our friends from ‘across the pond’ in 2006.”
