joburg loses gay games bid

Source: Mambaonline

November 14, 2005: The Federation of Gay Games (FGG) today announced that the successful host city for the 2010 Gay Games is Cologne, Germany.

Johannesburg and Paris were the two other cities involved in bidding for the right to host the games. It is expected that the FGG will soon announce the second placed city.

James Mathias, co-chair of the Johannesburg bid, said, "Whilst the Joburg bid committee was disappointed we respected the decision of the FGG". He added that Johannesburg had already benefited from the bid process in that stereotypes have been broken down, bridges have been built and the dignity of gays and lesbians in South Africa has been affirmed.

Said Mathias, "The bid committee will now be dissolved and will concentrate on sending the largest possible South African contingent to the Gay Games in Chicago in July 2006. We had an extremely sound bid - technically, financially and from an outreach perspective. We did South Africa proud and we are definitely up there competing on a par with the world's best."

Councilor Christine Walters, representing the Executive Mayor and the City of Johannesburg, said that the spirit of the team was high; "We did brilliantly. It is not the first time that we have bid and lost for an event, and it will not be the last. We will be back again to bid until we bring the Gay Games to Jozi."

The twelve member bid delegation arrives back in South Africa on Tuesday evening. A community debriefing will take place on Wednesday November the 30th at 17h30 to 19h00 at Joburg Tourism Company at 195 Jan Smuts, Parktown North, Johannesburg.