Gay Games Update

Gay Games Update

As expected, Sydney 2002 Gay Games has extended the period for competitor registration in a number of sports and cultural events. However registrations in basketball, cycling, dancing, diving, squash, tennis, volleyball and water polo were closed yesterday, joining the list of sports already fully subscribed such as swimming and sailing.

Gay Games organisers also announced that a late registration fee would be waived for the month of August.

Events will continue to close progressively, with bowling, ice hockey, track and field, triathlon, wrestling and women’s circus each just a few registrations away from closing, said co-chair Bev Lange. Other events will continue to close through August for scheduling reasons.

At the official close of the registration period yesterday, Games organisers reported 12,723 registrations -“ more than double, they said, the total number of athletes currently competing at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Lange said Australian competitors were leaving their run typically late, but that Australian registrations represented 22% of the total.

I would encourage all Australians -“ regardless of their age, ability or even their sexuality -“ to suit up and have a go. This is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Lange said.

Organisers will not meet the 50% female participation target they set themselves, with women’s registration sitting at just under 4000, or 31%.

The board of Sydney 2002 is meeting this weekend to review budgets and registration projections. Last month treasurer Paul Croft told an international Federation of Gay Games meeting that a break-even was a priority for the Sydney 2002 Gay Games.

 

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