Gay opening ceremony
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A major controversy took place over the presence of same-sex figure-skating pairs which ultimately led to rules changes among the international sanctioning bodies.
Next came Gay Games VI held in Sydney in 2002, the first time in the Southern Hemisphere.
There were so many people in the stands. The event featured the first live streaming of many events and helped lead to a $147,000 lasting financial legacy in both Cleveland and Akron.
37 sports and cultural events
50 nations
8,000 participants
Cologne, Germany
31 July to 7 August 2010
With a gay sports history dating to 1979, Cologne’s tradition of openness, combined with two great villages and a concentration of sports at the German Sports University translated into a highly memorable week for 9,500 participants from 70 countries.
35 sports and cultural events
70 nations
9,500 participants
Chicago, USA
15 to 22 July 2006
With extensive civic and business support, Chicago organizers achieved record sponsorship levels that ensured a fun, well-organized week for the 11,700 participants from 70 countries and thousands of spectators.
There were thousands of people in the stands cheering us and celebrating like only LGBT+ people can.
I was walking by Bill Swann and Ron Kirkoff and I couldn’t speak. The opening and closing ceremonies took place at iconic pro sports stadiums: Soldier Field and Wrigley Field, respectively. The Foster-Hayden band was asked to open for Tina Turner who was the entertainer for the Opening Ceremony.
All I knew is I was having a blast with this great group of guys, in a fabulous city, doing something I really loved - swimming.
(L) Tina Turner wows the crowd at the GGI Opening Ceremony; (R) Team Minnesota at the GGI Opening Ceremony
San Francisco Examiner coverage of Gay Games I.
Jean Nickolaus Tretter (left in glasses) and Team Minnesota teammate Morrie Spang (holding flag)
JEAN-NICKOLAUS TRETTER: I remember Tina Turner. For sure an experience that was a highlight of my life. The entertainment was Tina Turner. Known for her fierce advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, Gaga delivered a dazzling musical number, complete with her signature theatrical flair.
At the conclusion, everyone emptied the venue on their way to dinner, dancing or wherever.
The Gay Games I stage where Ken Ward and his fellow musicians were supposed to play. Many venues from the 2000 Summer Olympic Games were used, making these Games all the more memorable.
33 sports and cultural events
70 nations
12,100 participants
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
1 to 8 August 1998
The Netherlands welcomed participants to the first European Gay Games – yellow flags with the tulip-and-triangle logo were everywhere.
Restaurants and bars/nightclubs were packed nightly.
The San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Marching Band and Twirling Corps performing at the GGI Opening Ceremony
For its first large scale event of this magnitude, it was well organized with no noticeable mishaps. The atmosphere in that stadium that day was electric.
AIDS / HIV was around, but still in the early stages.
Gay Games XII
The Gay Games, a pioneering event at the intersection of sports, culture, and LGBTQ+ activism, traces its roots to the vision of Dr. Tom Waddell, an accomplished Olympic decathlete.
Launched in 1982, the inaugural Gay Games unfolded in San Francisco.
Additional world records were set in the swimming events, further marking the Gay Games as a legitimate sporting event.
Gay Games V was held in Amsterdam in 1998 which brought together a record number of 14,000+ participants from 73 countries and the highest percentage of women participants to date.
We danced, we sang, and when she did “Proud Mary,” she tore the place down!
Team Los Angeles entering the Gay Games I Opening Ceremony
JEFF SHOTWELL: When we arrived in San Francisco, all the swimmers were assigned to different "hosts" who had opened their homes to house many of the gay athletes. I was paired with Bill Swann and our hosts were so welcoming.
The athletes walked into the stadium with their team/city. On a side note, that partner and I got together in 1979 in Kansas City and we are still together 43 years later.
When the Opening Ceremony was starting, we were outside the stadium just like the Olympics, and we marched in as a team under our city flags. Waddell's motivation was clear: to create an inclusive space where LGBTQ+ athletes could participate without the specter of discrimination, fostering a sense of community and breaking down societal barriers.