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GAY GAMES FLOP AGAIN
The Gay Games held in Sydney, Australia, in
November 2002, was a flop.
The organizers of the Games overestimated
the number of participants and sponsors and also, before and
during the Games, experienced resignations from several of
its key members.
The Sydney Gay Games 2002 claimed that over
14,000 would participate in the Games, when in fact, only
12,000 did. The Sydney Gay Games also ended up with a $2.5
million deficit, going into receivership with its creditors
receiving only between six and 27 cents for every dollar.
A similar financial failure occurred with the Gay Games in
Vancouver (1990), New York (1994) and Amsterdam (1998), all
of which ended up in bankruptcy.
During a creditors' meeting in Sydney in March
2003, auditors for the creditors complained about the "highly
unusual" management procedures carried out by Gay Games
officials. It was revealed that, according to internal memos,
Board members of the Gay Games were aware of the bleak financial
outlook for the Games as far back as six months before the
event, but they, nevertheless, proceeded with the event.
Other problems stalked the Games. A "transgendered"
hockey player removed himself from the men's ice hockey team
and competed instead "with considerable confusion"
on a lesbian hockey team. The hockey player claimed that he
was "misplaced in the body of a gay male," had the
necessary surgery, completed the female hormone therapy, which
reduced body mass, and was wearing extensive makeup, so that
he/she was female and was qualified to play on the lesbian
team, which he/she did.
About 8,000 of those attending the Gay Games
did so by competing in "cultural" events, such as
parades, quilting bees, Drag Queen contests, female impersonator
recitals, ballroom dancing and lesbian wrestling-not exactly
the usual stuff of international games.
The next Gay Games is to take place in Montreal
from July 29 to August 5, 2006. Homosexual Olympian swimmer,
Mark Tewskbury, was elected co-president of the Board of Directors
for the Montreal Gay Games. Organizers for the Montreal Gay
Games are predicting a turnout of some 250,000 gay and lesbians.
In view of the outcome of other recent Gay Games, it would
not be unreasonable to regard these projected numbers with
considerable scepticism, and regard with alarm the pending
financial ruin as a result of these Gay Games.
In this latter connection, it is worth noting
that Montreal is still paying off the debt that arose from
the 1976 Olympic Games, and Montreal is not expected to have
it completely paid up until 2010. Poor Montreal.
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