The EuroGames, Europe’s largest annual LGBTQ+ multi-sports event, will be hosted in Cardiff in 2027, making it the first city in the UK to hold the tournament. Organizers founded the games over 30 years ago to fight discrimination and promote integration in sport. Pride Sports Cymru led the successful bid, welcoming a projected 10,000 athletes from across Europe to compete in venues throughout the city.
Cardiff Red Kites, an inclusive LGBTQ+ badminton club, will coordinate hosting the badminton competitions. Neil Roberts cited the benefits of community for LGBTQ+ individuals who face barriers in accessing sports. Cardiff Lions, Wales’ first gay and inclusive rugby union club, chairman Duncan Cameron said the EuroGames are a unique opportunity to raise the profile of inclusive sport and display the diversity of teams and competitions.
The European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation governs the “Sports for All” event, making it open to all regardless of sexual identity, gender, age, or skill level. Charlotte Galloway, Chairwoman of Cardiff Dragons, Wales’ first mixed gender LGBTQ+ football club, prioritizes inclusion in athletics. All athletes are allowed to compete in their authentic gender identity, which allows transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals the opportunity to compete. The EuroGames will provide a platform for trans-inclusive sports in Wales and the UK, signaling to other teams and playersthat sport should also be a place for trans people.
According to Jess Williams, who helped lead Pride Sports Cymru’s bid, the legacy of hosting the EuroGames will hopefully inspire increased participation in sports by LGBTQ+ individuals in Wales beyond 2027. Williams envisions forming a network of LGBTQ+ leaders in Welsh sport to encourage ongoing collaboration in upcoming years. In 2024, EuroGames will be held in Vienna, Austria in July, with anticipations set high for the upcoming tournament in Cardiff
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