Valencia has presented its candidacy as one of the three finalist cities, together with Munich (Germany) and Guadalajara (Mexico), to host the 2026 Gay Games, which are held every four years, and has assured that it wants to be “ the light of diversity ”and an example of tolerance, social rights and freedom. In addition to its sports infrastructures and the support of all sports federations, the city wields among its arguments the legislative framework that Spain has endowed with equal rights for LGTBI + people, one of the most advanced in the world, as stated this morning several participants in the presentation.
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From August 13 to 17, an inspection of the organization will visit the city, while the defense of the candidacy will be in Hong Kong, headquarters of the 2022 edition, from November 5 to 9 and that last day the winning city will be announced between the finalist shortlist. Valencia’s candidacy was presented by the City Council, governed by Compromís and the PSPV-PSOE, although it was the Spanish Government that suggested it at first given the ability to organize sporting events “and for being a benchmark of inclusive land ”, As explained by the Councilor for Sports, the socialist Pilar Bernabé. Gay tourism has become one of the great objectives of cities to expand their visitors due to its high purchasing power and its drag effect.
The Gay Games will be held for twelve days and the dates of the 2026 edition between May 27 and June 7, a period in which 36 sports disciplines will be competed. The participation of about 12,000 athletes and almost 100,000 visitors is expected, with an economic impact for the city of about 135 million euros. Organized by the Federation of Gay Games (FGG), the event was created in 1980 by Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete from the United States, and was first held in 1982 in San Francisco.
They are presented as a sports and cultural event, without discrimination of sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political orientation, athletic abilities, physical disability, age or health status. Participation and personal best performance are in the forefront against brands and triumph by country.
Before the last edition in Paris, the games were held in Cleveland (2014), Cologne (2010), Chicago (2006), Sidney (2002), Amsterdam (1998), New York (1994), Vancouver (1990) and San Francisco (1986 and 1982).
The representatives of the LGTBI + Samarucs and Dracs sports clubs, promoters of the initiative, recalled the existence of “LGTBIphobia” in sport and how in the Rio Olympic Games only 0.05 percent of the athletes made visible their belonging to this group, since they consider that sport “continues to be a hostile territory for LGBT athletes” I
In the act of presentation of the candidacy of Valencia in the Veles i Vents building in La Marina, the president of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, the counselors of Education, Culture and Sports, Vicent Marzà, as well as the president of the Provincial Council also participated. de València, Toni Gaspar, among other institutional positions, as well as presidents of several sports federations and representatives of the business sector. The candidacy also has the support of the Secretary of State for Sports, under the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
Puig assured that “to host these games is to be part of the values of this group and is to fight for public freedoms and social rights. Seeing what is happening in Europe, in countries like Hungary, the visibility of the battle for decency is absolutely necessary ”.
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