What are the Gay Games?

The Gay Games, unlike the Olympic Games, enable people 
from all walks of life to compete against each other 
regardless of skill level, age or physical challenge. (SOURCE –
 FGG FAQs PAGE 
http://www.gaygames.com/en/media/faq.htm) 

The first Gay Games took place in 1982 in San Francisco, 
bringing together 1,350 athletes from a dozen countries. The 
Games have been held every four years since in world-class 
cities. Gay Games VII in Chicago in 2006 attracted 11,500 
participants from 70 countries.  The Gay Games are one of 
the world's largest amateur athletic events. 

The Gay Games are the legacy of Dr. Tom Waddell, a 
decathlon competitor for the U.S. in the 1968 Olympics. 
Waddell conceived of the Games as an opportunity for gays 
and lesbians to show the world that their skills and 
competitive spirit were equal to the rest of humanity. He 
wanted to promote better understanding through sport.

The Games define winning as achieving one's personal best. 
Anyone can participate, regardless of ability, age, sexual 
orientation, race, gender, nationality, political or religious  
beliefs, ethnic origins, or HIV status. Athletes represent their 
cities and not their countries.

What is the Federation of Gay Games?

The Federation of Gay Games (FGG) is the umbrella 
organisation responsible for managing the pre-eminent 
international LGBT sports and cultural event, the quadrennial 
Gay Games.  Dr. Tom Waddell, a 1968 U.S. Olympic 
decathlete, envisioned the dream of a multi-sport competition 
as a showcase for the gay and lesbian community, and in 
1982 he and others in San Francisco established the Gay 
Games as an Olympic-style event.  That year, 1,350 
participants from 12 countries gathered in late August to 
compete in 17 sports.  The world of LGBT athletics was 
changed forever as participants returned to their cities and 
countries, inspired by Gay Games I to establish local clubs for 
year-round training and competition.  

Additional detail is provided in the Member Handbook and 
Volunteer Handbook.

How many people participate in the Gay Games?

Since 1994, each Gay Games has drawn an average of more 
than 12,000 participants. That is comparable to the Summer 
Olympics. The Gay Games are one of the world's largest 
amateur athletic events. Gay Games VII in Chicago in 2006 
attracted 11,500 participants from 70 countries.  Gay Games 
VI in Sydney Australia in 2002 attracted 12,100 participants. 
Information about Gay Games I to Gay Games VI is 
presented at 
http://www.gaygames.com/en/games/index.htm. 

What is the mission of the Federation of Gay Games?

The purpose of The Federation of Gay Games, Inc. 
(the “Federation”) shall be to foster and augment the self-
respect of gay men and women throughout the world and to 
engender respect and understanding from the non-gay world, 
primarily through an organized, international athletic and 
cultural event held every four years commonly known as 
the “Gay Games.”  Following the Federation’s guiding principle 
of inclusion, activities shall be inclusive in nature and no 
individual shall be excluded from participating on the basis of 
sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, nationality, ethnic 
origin, political belief(s), athletic/artistic ability, age, physical 
challenge, or health status.

The FGG has proposed that its mission statement be 
formalized as “Our mission is to improve the lives and the 
public image of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender 
people by bringing together a global community of athletes 
and artists every four years at the premier LGBT athletic and 
cultural event commonly known as the Gay Games.”

What impact do the Gay Games have on athletes and cultural 
participants?

For more than two decades, supporters of the Gay Games 
have brought together thousands of athletes every four years 
to show the world their pride, their poise and their passion. 
Every four years Gay Games participants converge to 
celebrate the empowerment of individual achievement and 
the triumph of collective cooperation. A primary legacy of the 
Gay Games has been the athletes and artists themselves, 
enabling the genesis of countless LGBT athletic and cultural 
organisations. 

The Gay Games have always worked for and are committed 
to social activism through sports and culture. Creating safe 
opportunities for LGBT persons to participate in sports and 
culture is where the Gay Games (and the FGG) have had their 
biggest impact. The Gay Games is primarily designed to 
empower the participants, but certainly the great social 
legacy the Gay Games has had is in the molding of 
perceptions. 

Who leads the Federation of Gay Games?

The board of the FGG is elected by the delegates in its 
General Assembly. The 38 organisations that belonged to the 
Assembly in October of 2007 elected the officers (directors) 
that are listed on 
http://www.gaygames.com/en/media/exec.htm. 

Who is eligible to participate in the Gay Games?

“The Gay Games are not separatist, they are not exclusive, 
they are not oriented to victory, and they are not for 
commercial gain," Waddell wrote after the first Gay 
Games. "They intended to bring a global community together 
in friendship, to experience participation, to elevate 
consciousness and self-esteem, and to achieve a form of 
cultural and intellectual synergy. We have the opportunity to 
take the initiative on critical issues that affect the quality of 
life." Anyone can participate in the Gay Games.

The world took notice of the Gay Games. As the conservative 
Vancouver newspaper The Province editorialized before the 
opening of Gay Games III, "Almost a year ago, we called 
these Gay Games 'silly.' What's next? we asked. What, we 
queried, does sexual orientation have to do with the high 
jump? Since then, we've been educated. We've learned that 
these games are intended to build bridges, strengthen 
community and bolster self-esteem. Members of groups that 
bear the brunt of society's ignorance and fear need to make 
special efforts to support each other. And sometimes they 
need to stand up and be counted." 

Twenty-five years later, from San Francisco to Vancouver to 
New York to Amsterdam to Sydney and next to Chicago, the 
Gay Games still change the world one athlete and one 
attitude at a time. 

Participants have described the Gay Games as a positive life-
altering experience. As the quote above from the Vancouver 
newspaper indicates, the Gay Games change perceptions for 
the better. 

Who is eligible to join the General Assembly of the Federation 
of Gay Games?

Full Member Organisations include International Sport 
Organisations, a Multi-Sport Regional (or Local) 
Organisations, and Cultural Organisations. Associate Member 
Organisations include Single-Sport Regional (or Local) 
Organisations and Cultural Organisations, as well as 
organisations that do not satisfy all criteria for Full Member 
Organisation status or that wish to apply for Associate 
Member status. When they join the FGG they agree to: 

• Assist the Federation in delivering the Gay Games and 
fulfilling its mission – see above
• Register any changes in postal and electronic addresses 
with the Technology Officer, tech@gaygames.org 
• Pay annual dues ($200 for Member Organisations, $100 for 
Associate Members)
• Register your organisation’s nonprofit status with 
appropriate units of government and maintain that status
• Strongly promote the Gay Games by including a web 
banner for the FGG and the current Gay Games host on 
your website as well as a link to the websites for both 
organisations.

Only Full Member Organisations which have had one or more 
registered delegates present at the prior Annual General 
Assembly meeting or at two of the past three Annual General 
Assembly meetings and whose dues are fully paid shall be 
authorized to vote on Gay Games site selection matters.

Can elite athletes participate in the Gay Games?

• Judith Arndt, world champion and Olympic silver medal 
cyclist, Germany
• Bruce Hayes, Olympic gold medal swimmer, U.S.
• Greg Louganis, five-time Olympic medalist for diving, U.S.
• Leigh-Ann Naidoo, Olympic beach volleyball player, South 
Africa
• Petra Rössner, Olympic gold medal cyclist, Germany
• Ji Wallace, Olympic trampoline silver medalist, Australia

Chris Morgan, world drug-free powerlifting silver medalist, 
U.K., got his competitive start in the Gay Games and has 
gone on to achieve world class status in his sport, and 
widespread acceptance in his community.

When and where are the Gay Games held?

• Gay Games I, Challenge ‘82, was  held in San Francisco, 
California USA
• Gay Games II, Triumph ‘86, was also held in San Francisco, 
California USA
• Gay Games III, Celebration ‘90, was held in Vancouver, 
British Columbia, CANADA
• Gay Games IV, Unity ’94, was held in New York, New York 
USA
• Gay Games V, Friendship ’98, was held in Amsterdam, 
NETHERLANDS
• Gay Games VI, Under New Skies, was held in 2002 in 
Sydney, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
• Gay Games VII, Where the World Meets, was held in 
Chicago, Illinois USA in 2006

Since 1994, each Gay Games has drawn an average of more 
than 12,000 participants. That is comparable to the Summer 
Olympics. The Gay Games are one of the world's largest 
amateur athletic events. Gay Games VII in Chicago in 2006 
attracted 11,500 participants from 70 countries.  Gay Games 
VI in Sydney Australia in 2002 attracted 12,100 participants. 
Information about Gay Games I to Gay Games VI is 
presented at 
http://www.gaygames.com/en/games/index.htm. 

How do the Gay Games differ from other tournaments?

The Gay Games change political culture by challenging sports 
bodies, media and governments to create more opportunities 
for athletes regardless of sex, age or physical challenge. 

A few historical highlights: 

• HIV/AIDS. In 1994 the Games achieved a political 
milestone, convincing the U.S. Attorney General to allow HIV-
infected individuals to enter the U.S. for Gay Games IV 
without special visas. The Designated Event Status (DES) 
draws attention to the ramifications of national policies 
restricting travel by AIDS-affected individuals. The Federation 
of Gay Games and CGI won that DES designation for the 
2006 Chicago Gay Games. In sports that require drug testing, 
the FGG has worked with LGBT sports leaders to develop anti-
doping policies that allow for athletes on banned medications. 
• Gender. The Gay Games have offered women's wrestling 
since 1994: 10 years before the Athens Olympic Games. The 
Games offer 10 weight classes for women; the Olympics offer 
just four. 
• Homophobia. Olympic champion diver Greg Louganis came 
out of the closet during the Opening Ceremonies of Gay 
Games IV, the same year the USOC gave him its highest 
award. In his acceptance speech, Louganis dedicated his 
award to Tom Waddell and successfully lobbied to prevent the 
1996 Olympic volleyball competition from being held in 
homophobic Cobb County, Georgia. 
• Ageism. Recognizing that seniors over 50 are forecast to be 
25 percent of the GLBT community by 2020, the Chicago Gay 
Games have added new age categories in such sports as 
basketball, softball, volleyball and wrestling. These are in 
addition to the many Gay Games sports which already have 
age categories including aquatics, cycling, figure-skating, 
physique, power lifting, racquetball, road racing, tennis, track 
and field, and triathlon. 
• Gender. Gay Games policies for including transgendered 
athletes in 2002 set the tone for the Olympics and others to 
follow.