The EuroGames 2024, Europe’s largest sporting event for the LGBTIQ+ community, will begin in Vienna on Wednesday. This year, the event will be held in Vienna for the first time.
Over 4,000 sports enthusiasts from across Europe have registered to participate in the EuroGames, which commence on Wednesday. Until next Saturday, they will compete for victory under the banner of diversity and inclusion. Thirty-one sports will be held at locations in twelve Vienna districts. The event features representatives from 50 nations and all age groups, with the oldest participant being 88 years old.
Tina, a trans woman from Slovenia, shared her experience in an interview with APA, stating that this is her fifth EuroGames. She will be competing in badminton: “I am a little nervous, but that will go away following the first match.” She was initially very anxious during her debut: “I didn’t know what to expect.” However, she has realized that winning isn’t the primary focus: “I simply love participating in the EuroGames. It relaxes me. You meet new people from all over the world. There is a welcoming atmosphere. You feel like you’re part of a community.” Tina mentioned that she has forged lasting friendships through the EuroGames, spanning from Denmark to Italy and Croatia.
The origins
Inspired by the Gay Games, the EuroGames were launched in the 1990s and have since become a staple event for sports enthusiasts within the LGBTIQ+ community and their allies. Since 1992, they have been hosted in a different European city each year. Vienna now becomes the first Austrian city to host the event, a fact that Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) is delighted regarding.
“Vienna is considered the most livable city in the world – and for good reason. This high quality of life isn’t a coincidence or just luck. It is the result of the dedication and solidarity of the people of Vienna, facilitated by intelligent political choices. As the Mayor of Vienna, I’m particularly thrilled that the EuroGames are taking place here for the first time. The EuroGames promote respectful coexistence and social cohesion – both cornerstones of Vienna’s quality of life,” stated Ludwig in his greeting to the EuroGames Vienna participants.
Support
The City of Vienna and the Ministry of Sport are each contributing 150,000 euros to sponsor the event, and Vienna is providing numerous sporting venues. “The world of sport is as diverse as the people themselves, but one thing remains constant: Vienna is a city for everyone and a venue that has long been recognized as one of the world’s elite for international competitions,” emphasized City Councilor for Sport Peter Hacker (SPÖ) in a press release. ” With a vibrant, diverse community, Vienna is not just the rainbow capital of Austria but also of Europe, and sets international standards in LGBTIQ+ equality,” added Vice Mayor Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS).
Before the event’s opening, Sports Minister Werner Kogler (Greens) highlighted “the government’s commitment to promoting an inclusive and equal society. This event demonstrates that sport is a unifying force that breaks down barriers and strengthens the sense of community.” He described the EuroGames as “a powerful symbol of diversity and respect in sport.” Kogler emphasized that everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or identity, should have the opportunity to participate in sports and develop their abilities.
Effect
“It’s time to demonstrate to the traditional sports world that sport can be welcoming, participatory, fair and inclusive, while simultaneously enjoying excellent competitions. We understand the transformative impact that queer, inclusive sport can have,” says the European Gay & Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF). Among the 4,000 participants in the EuroGames Vienna, over 1,300 are FLINTA (women, lesbians, inter, non-binary, trans and agender people, ed.). This is 500 more than last year when Bern was the host city for the Eurogames.
In addition to football, tennis and swimming, which received the highest number of registrations with over 500 participants, the EuroGames Vienna program also includes less popular sports. Besides several running competitions in the Prater, a two-day golf tournament will be held at the Golfpark Vienna in Süßenbrunn. Martial arts enthusiasts can compete in boxing, Muay Thai, BJJ or MMA at the Rappachgasse training center.
Assistance
Martial arts and roller derby are specifically aimed towards trans, inter and non-binary individuals. There is no gender specification in bowling, bridge, darts, floorball, mini golf, pétanque, squash, table football and table tennis. An outreach program provided support to athletes from Eastern and Southeastern Europe who face limited or nonexistent rights for LGBTIQ+ people in their home countries. Through this program, over 100 athletes participated in the EuroGames free of charge.
The first competitions will take place on Wednesday, starting with tennis and badminton. The event will be officially opened on Wednesday evening by Justice Minister Alma Zadic (Greens) at the EuroGames Village on Karlsplatz. 500 volunteers will ensure the smooth running of this major event. “For four days, Vienna will be dominated by LGBTIQ+ athletes who will engage in sports together and have a wonderful time under the motto ‘Embrace Diversity’. They will demonstrate that respect, fairness and diversity are perfectly compatible in sport,” said Maria Schinko and Gerhard Marchl, President and President of the EuroGames Vienna 2024.
Entertainment
Beyond sport, there will be a wealth of entertainment options. The EuroGames Village at Karlsplatz offers a diverse supporting program, including concerts by Conchita Wurst and Clara Luzia, film screenings and workshops. (APA)
The EuroGames 2024, the largest sporting event for the LGBTIQ+ community in Europe, will start in Vienna on Wednesday and will be held in Vienna for the first time this year.
4,000 sports enthusiasts from all over Europe have registered for the EuroGames, which begin on Wednesday. Until next Saturday, they will be fighting for victory under the banner of diversity and inclusion. 31 sports will be held at locations in twelve districts of Vienna. 50 nations and all age groups are represented; the oldest participant is 88 years old.
For Tina, a trans woman from Slovenia, this is already the fifth EuroGames, as she revealed in an interview with APA. She is competing in badminton: “I’m a little nervous. But that’s over following the first match.” She was very nervous at her debut: “I didn’t know what to expect.” She now knows that it’s not primarily regarding winning: “I just love taking part in the EuroGames. It relaxes me. You get to know new people from all over the world. There is an appreciative atmosphere. You feel like part of a community.” Over the years, she has made lasting friendships through the EuroGames, which stretch from Denmark to Italy and Croatia, Tina said.
The origins
The EuroGames were launched in the 1990s based on the Gay Games and have since become a permanent fixture for sports enthusiasts within the LGBTIQ+ community and their allies. They have been held in a different European city each year since 1992. Now, Vienna is the first Austrian organizer to take part, which Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) is pleased to note.
“Vienna is considered the most livable city in the world – and for good reason. This high quality of life is not a coincidence or mere luck. It is the result of the commitment and solidarity of the people of Vienna, supported by smart political decisions. As Mayor of Vienna, I am therefore particularly pleased that the EuroGames are taking place here for the first time. Because the EuroGames promote respectful coexistence and social cohesion – both cornerstones of the quality of life in Vienna,” said Ludwig in his greeting to the participants of the EuroGames Vienna.
Support
The City of Vienna and the Ministry of Sport are each sponsoring the event with 150,000 euros, and Vienna is providing numerous sports venues for it. “The world of sport is as diverse as the people themselves, but one thing always remains the same: Vienna is a city for everyone and a venue that has long since become one of the world’s elite for international competitions,” emphasized City Councilor for Sport Peter Hacker (SPÖ) in a press release. “With a colorful community, Vienna is not only the rainbow capital of Austria, but also of Europe and sets international standards in the area of LGBTIQ equality,” added Vice Mayor Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS).
Before the opening of the event, Sports Minister Werner Kogler (Greens) underlined “the government’s commitment to promoting an inclusive and equal society. This event shows that sport is a unifying element that breaks down barriers and strengthens the sense of community.” He described the EuroGames as “a strong sign of diversity and respect in sport.” Everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or identity, must have the opportunity to be active in sport and to develop themselves, demanded Kogler.
Effect
“It is time to show the traditional sports world that sport can be welcoming, participatory, fair and inclusive, while at the same time enjoying great competitions. We know the transformative impact that queer, inclusive sport can have,” says the European Gay & Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF). Among the 4,000 participants in the EuroGames Vienna, more than 1,300 are FLINTA (women, lesbians, inter, non-binary, trans and agender people, ed.). That is 500 more than last year, when Bern was the venue for the Eurogames.
In addition to football, tennis and swimming, for which the most registrations were received with over 500 participants, the EuroGames Vienna program also includes less popular sports. In addition to several running competitions in the Prater, a two-day golf tournament will also be held at the Golfpark Vienna in Süßenbrunn. Martial arts enthusiasts can compete in boxing, Muay Thai, BJJ or MMA at the Rappachgasse training center.
Assistance
Martial arts and roller derby are aimed specifically at trans, inter and non-binary people. There is no gender specification in bowling, bridge, darts, floorball, mini golf, pétanque, squash, table football and table tennis. Athletes from Eastern and Southeastern Europe who are confronted with limited or non-existent rights for LGBTIQ+ people in their home countries were supported with an outreach program. This enabled over 100 athletes to take part free of charge.
The first competitions will take place on Wednesday, starting with tennis and badminton. The event will be officially opened on Wednesday evening by Justice Minister Alma Zadic (Greens) in the EuroGames Village on Karlsplatz. 500 volunteers will ensure that the major event runs smoothly. “For four days, Vienna will be dominated by LGBTIQ athletes who will do sports together and have a good time under the motto ‘Embrace Diversity’. They will show that respect, fairness and diversity are also compatible in sport,” said Maria Schinko and Gerhard Marchl, President and President of the EuroGames Vienna 2024.
Entertainment
In addition to sport, there will also be plenty of entertainment. The EuroGames Village at Karlsplatz offers a varied supporting program, including concerts by Conchita Wurst and Clara Luzia, film screenings and workshops. (APA)
