Olympic games for gays and lesbians held

COLOGNE - The eighth international Gay Games - an Olympics for gay and lesbian athletes - held recently in Cologne were designed to send a clear message: society should be more tolerant of homosexuality.

The colours of the rainbow reigned in Cologne during the Gay Games, held this year for the first time in Germany.

Organisers say it is the largest gay and lesbian sporting and cultural event in the world. About 10,000 athletes from 70 nations registered to compete in 35 different sports. Age, gender, skill level, country of origin or religion were not factors and heterosexuals also were authorised to participate. As many as one million people came to watch.

“In addition to arranging a broad sporting event we wanted to send a societal signal,” said Michael Lohaus, co-president of the Gay Games. “We would like to show that an end must be set to the exclusion of gays and lesbians.”

The organisers in Cologne had a prominent supporter in German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor Guido Westerwelle, who is openly gay. Westerwelle opened the Gay Games, becoming the highest-ranking politician ever to visit the games.

Organisers also hope a clear message was sent when gay Olympic champion Mathhew Mitcham appeared at the opening ceremony to read the the games’ oath to the athletes. Mitcham won a gold medal in diving at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing before opening stating his sexual orientation.

Participants from countries, where outing oneself as homosexual is still unthinkable, also were at the games, said Sascha Huellen, one of the organisers. Some of the athletes used fake names out of fear.

“We are a model and want to give the participants something they can only dream of having in their own countries,” said Huellen. “It’s sort of a free experience.”

The event can make a contribution to strengthening societal acceptance of same-sex lifestyles, said Cologne Mayor Juergen Roters. The city’s SC Janus is one of the largest gay and lesbian sport clubs in Europe.