The weather turned wet on Day 5 of the Games, so we thought we’d bring you a gallery of athletes who spend their time in the water: Swimmers, divers and water polo players. The swimming venue is outdoors this year, which means most swimmers get right into their sweatpants when they’re out of the water; Luckily, most of them also don’t mind spending a couple minutes cooling down before they do.
Check out our photo gallery for the water sports.
I’d never seen ringworm until I visited the wrestling venue. One athlete had it and proudly showed me the rings on his neck as a badge of courage. Wrestlers get ringworm from dirt on the mats, and it’s a big deal: No street shoes are allowed on the competition floor, and wrestlers are inspected for ringworm before they get onto the mat.
Jeroen Tan from the Netherlands is competing. He remembers hosting the Gay Games in 1998 in Amsterdam and the anti-gay repercussions that followed: His gay wrestling group was not allowed to join the national wrestling federation because of homophobia. He remembers hearing anti-gay epithets the day after the closing ceremony in Amsterdam. And he said the wrestling world in the Netherlands is very homophobic. However, he is now the president of the Dutch national wrestling federation.
It’s easy sometimes, when living in the generally gay-tolerant West to remember that for many gays and lesbians, being discovered could literally put their lives at risk.
At the Opening Ceremonies, I spied a shirtless player for the Mexican soccer team with a flawless body. Seeing a great photo-op, I raised my camera and got ready to shoot. He spied my press photo jacket, waved me off and quickly turned away. I then saw him happily pose for other athletes with their cameras, so I then got back into position and he waved me off again. I then asked him why he did not want his picture taken and he stammered that he didn’t like being photographed. I did not push it but knew that wasn’t the case. Continue reading →
Justin Fashnau All-Stars (click for larger view).
It’s hard to miss the Justin Fashnau All-Stars on the soccer pitch. The team is clad in distinctive pink shirts, a color picked deliberately to highlight the team’s fight against homophobia in soccer.
The team is named after English soccer player Justin Fashnau, who came out as gay in 1990. He faced a huge backlash after, and committed suicide in 1998 after allegations of sexual assault. The Justin Fashnau All-Stars were formed, player Simon Bennett said, to remind the soccer world of the homophobia that is still prevalent. Continue reading →
While the Games will remain in the Cleveland/Akron area, the bidding organization, Cleveland Synergy Foundation, has lost the license to host the games. This is not a surprise, as we have been reporting on this move for almost a month. From the Federation of Gay Games:
The Federation of Gay Games ended its relationship with Cleveland Synergy Foundation (CSF), effective 6 July 2010. The FGG remains committed to the host city of Cleveland, and the State of Ohio to host Gay Games IX in 2014. Cleveland city officials and a delegation of regional organizers and supporters will accept the flag of the Federation of Gay Games in Cologne, Germany on 7 August 2010 at the closing ceremony from the city officials of Cologne, Germany. Continue reading →
Tim Husel, Flo Weber (click for larger view).
Gay Games notes:
I heard several people talk about the two hot announcers at track and field, so here’s the 911. They are Flo Weber and Tim Husel, both 26 and gay. Weber was the announcer at last year’s world track championships in Berlin, heard about the Gay Games and wanted to be a part. Weber is the English speaker of the duo, and his brother is acting as track DJ.
Medal inflation: I’ve long decried what I call medal inflation at the Gay Games, the practice of awarding medals to anyone who finishes first, second or third in an event, even if they are the only one in their age group. The counter is that the event is supposed to be about participation and inclusion. If so, why have medals in the first place? Continue reading →
I spent a good chunk of the afternoon out at track and field, covering the 100-meter medal races, which included the German sprinters seen here.
Ash Martin
The West Hollywood water polo team has someone watching over their shoulders at this year’s Gay Games. The players are all wearing tattoos on the shoulders that honor Tom Martinez, their longtime coach who died of a heart attack while swimming in 2008.
“Tom was very instrumental in helping build the team,” said Ash Martin. This tournament is the first for WeHo since Martinez died and they thought the tattoos were an appropriate way to honor his memory. Martin credited Martinez with being able to successfully build a team composed of young players, some of whom were top-flight players and others with more rudimentary skills. It was a formula that has resulted in numerous titles for the team, the defending Gay Games gold medalists. Continue reading →
While the Gay Games are a great beacon for out gay athletes, there is also no shortage of wrestlers in Cologne who are afraid of coming out in their personal or professional lives.
One wrestler, who is a high school wrestling referee, said that if parents in his area found out he is gay they would petition his state’s kids wrestling federation and that federation would ask him to resign as a referee. When I asked him whom at the organization I could speak to about it, he got emotional and begged me not to. Another wrestler, a high school coach, turned away when I asked for a photo saying he couldn’t be featured. His friends, who remained behind, said he was afraid of losing his job. Continue reading →
I spent the evening Monday at one of the most popular event at the Gay Games — bodybuilding. While the medals were given out to athletes from their 20s to 70+, all are tentative contingent on the medalists passing a drug test.
Had a great time meeting Mark Ebinger of Denver, who wrote about his Gay Games journey. He was accompanied by his partner of 19 years, James Burton, and his trainer (and himself a champion bodybuilder) Chris Schrank. Ebinger won silver in the 40-49 age group, but it was incredibly close — the result had to go to a second tiebreaker.
Check out the guys and one gal who wowed the crowd in Cologne.
Bjarni Snaebjornsson
If my experiences with members of Styrmir Reykjavik the past two years is any indication, the 2012 International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics championships in Iceland will be a blast, and no one will have to bring toilet paper. Reykjavik will host the event, May 30-June 2, 2012, it was announced at the Gay Games.
I first met the Icelandic athletes of Styrmir a year ago at the Outgames in Copenhagen and was charmed by their lack of pretense, friendliness and fun. I wrote about their financial struggles (the country went bankrupt during the worldwide banking crisis) and how their sports teams sell toilet paper as a fund-raising tool (along with vegetables and condoms). So running into them again (swimming and soccer are their big sports in Cologne) has been a highlight. Continue reading →
It was quite a day Monday for divers Andrew Kasney and his partner Kai Robinson. In the morning, Kasney won gold in the men’s 3-meter springboard while Robinson took the bronze. They then won the gold in pairs diving, which was more of an exhibition since there were no other competitors. But given their morning medals and the response from the judges and crowd, it would have been hard to see anyone beating them.
Diving is what brought Kasney, 29, and Robinson, 23, together. A fellow diver sensed a love match and introduced them and they have been together for two years. They live in New Jersey but swim for the Philadelphia Fins. Continue reading →
