With Maja Neuenschwander, Christa Wittwer, Marco Lehmann and Curdin Orlik, the EuroGames Bern 2023 have four prominent ambassadors. The popular sports event with 3,500 participants will take place in Bern in July 2023 and aims to make LGBTIQ * people in sport more visible.
Maja Neuenschwander and Christa Wittwer are openly lesbian, Marco Lehmann and Curdin Orlik openly gay. Former top athletes strive for greater diversity and inclusion in sport and are the ambassadors of the EuroGames Bern 2023. Maja Neuenschwander is the former Swiss record holder in the marathon, Christa Wittwer is the five-time Swiss champion in javelin throwing. Curdin Orlik and Marco Lehmann are the first openly gay active top athletes in Switzerland. Schwinger Orlik came out publicly in 2020, professional basketball player Lehmann a year later.
3500 participants expected
The EuroGames Bern 2023 will take place from 26 to 29 July. 3,500 athletes from all over Europe are expected in 27 sports from badminton, football, athletics and volleyball to chess, quidditch and roller derby. The multisport event aims to make LGBTIQ * people more visible in sport and is open to all, a major concern for ambassadors. There were no gay models in sports when he was young, says Curdin Orlik. “Not in wrestling anyway. And not really in other sports. I would have liked that. “Marco Lehmann would have welcomed if heterosexual participants also took part in the EuroGames:” In this way they experience that gay men in sport are nothing unusual. “Christa Wittwer adds:” I have always been against it. exclusion. A colorful mix is important to me. “Maja Neuenschwander sees sport as a simple but powerful way to bring people together:” Through sport I easily find things in common with people with whom I would otherwise have no contact in everyday life ” .
Open to all
In addition to the male and female categories, EuroGames Bern 2023 will offer another category for non-binary participants. Additionally, athletes can compete in the gender category they identify with.
The EuroGames have been held regularly since 1992, each time in a different European city. The contests are characterized by diversity and inclusion and are open to all people regardless of their skill level, including heterosexuals. Zurich was the first and only Swiss city to host the EuroGames 2000.
Registration for the EuroGames Bern 2023 has already started.
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