View source for EuroGames

{{Short description|LGBTI+ multi-sporting event in Europe}}
{{Other uses|Eurogames (disambiguation)}}
{{More footnotes|date=June 2022}}
The '''EuroGames''' are an [[LGBTQ|LGBT+]] multi-sport event in Europe, licensed by the [[European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation|EGLSF (European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation)]] to a local city host each year and organised (most often) by one or more of the federation's member clubs. Similar to the [[Gay Games]], EuroGames are a sports-for-all event, open for participation irrespective of sex, age, sexual identity or physical ability. Additionally it often included less prominent non-olympic sports and disciplines catering to interest of LGBT+ communities like same-sex [[ballroom dance]], [[line dance]], [[cheerleading]], [[aerobics]], [[bodybuilding]] as well synchronised/[[artistic swimming]] with male participants, which was historically forbidden.[[File:EuroGames Bern 2023 opening ceremony 11.jpg|thumb|EuroGames flag presented at the opening ceremony in Bern in 2023|alt=multiple officials holding a EuroGames flag at the stage]][[File:EuroGames Bern 2023 opening ceremony 05.jpg|thumb|Co-presidents of EGLSF, Sarah Townsend, and Hugh Torrance with the mayor of Bern, Alec von Graffenried, brandishing the towns EuroGames 2023 trophee at the opening ceremony|alt=openning stage at the with 3 standing figures of officials and organizers behind]]

In terms of scale EuroGames range from 1,5 to cca 4 thousand (or exceptionally more) participants primarily from the West and South of Europe but also elsewhere (often Asian and American diasporic communities), most often with extra outreach support subsidies for less privileged participants.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-19 |title=Montenegrin delegation for the first time on LGBT EuroGames - BudapestCrna Gora po prvi put na LGBT EuroGame-su u Budimpešti - LGBT Forum Progres |url=https://lgbtprogres.me/novosti/crna-gora-po-prvi-put-na-lgbt-eurogame-su-u-budimpe%C5%A1ti/ |access-date=2024-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419184004/https://lgbtprogres.me/novosti/crna-gora-po-prvi-put-na-lgbt-eurogame-su-u-budimpe%C5%A1ti/ |archive-date=2022-04-19 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-22 |title=Outreach - Eurogames 2022 |url=https://eurogames2022.eu/outreach/ |access-date=2024-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722044127/https://eurogames2022.eu/outreach/ |archive-date=2022-07-22 }}</ref> The EuroGames is most often an extended weekend event with opening and closing ceremonies, some of the sport, social, policy and cultural activities also happening on the days before. [[File:Female_latin_senior_competition.jpeg|thumb|Ballroom dancing competition, EuroGames 2022 [[Nijmegen]]|alt=multiple senior female  couples in latin dance category in Ballroom dancing competition ]]

==History==
The official name of the EuroGames is the European Gay and Lesbian Multi-Sports Championships. It is a Dutch initiative inspired by GayGames, first organized in The Hague in 1992.<ref name="20min.ch">{{Cite web |date=2023-07-27 |title=EuroGames à Berne: polémique à cause des drapeaux LGBT |url=https://www.20min.ch/fr/story/drapeaux-lgbt-en-dehors-des-reseaux-sociaux-les-retours-sont-positifs-529867073205 |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=[[20 minutes (Switzerland)|20 minutes]] |language=fr}}</ref>

The EuroGames are a multi-day sporting event. They are organized annually in a European city, except in years when the global Gay Games take place. Since the advent of the World Outgames in 2006, this has been taken into account in determining whether or not a city is assigned to a particular year. In a year in which Gay Games and/or World Outgames take place, EuroGames generally do not take place.

Like the Gay Games as well as the World Outgames, the EuroGames are open to everyone regardless of gender, age, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability. When a competitive sport has not yet reached the maximum number of participants, participants from non-European countries are also admitted.[[File:EuroGames 2023 Bern medals 15 28 50 127000.jpeg|alt=EuroGames 2023 Bern medals|thumb|EuroGames 2023 medals]][[File:EuroGames_2023_Bern_-_swimming_pool_16_13_02_693000.jpeg|thumb|EuroGames 2023 - inclusive signs]]

Since 2001, the EuroGames have existed in two versions: the big EuroGames and the small EuroGames. It was planned that these small Games would have a maximum of 1,500 participants and seven sports and would last two days. The "small" EuroGames Utrecht 2005 were an exception to this. Almost 3,000 participants, nine competition sports and three competition days made Utrecht, as the smallest organizing city until then, have the largest 'small' Games compared to Hannover and Copenhagen in 2001 and 2003 respectively.

== Chronology ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Edition !! Year !! Location !! Country !! Participants !! Countries !! Sports !! Note !! Other bidders
|-
| align=center|1 || 1992 || [[The Hague]] || {{flag|Netherlands}} || align=center|300 || align=center|5 || align=center|4 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|2 || 1993 || [[The Hague]] || {{flag|Netherlands}} || align=center|540 || align=center|8 || align=center|6 || || 
|-
| align=center|3 || 1995 || [[Frankfurt]] || {{flag|Germany}} || align=center|2,000 || align=center|13 ||  || ||
|-
| align=center|4 || 1996 || [[Berlin]] || {{flag|Germany}} || align=center|3,247 || align=center|18  || align=center|17 ||  || 
|-
| align=center|5 || 1997 || [[Paris]] || {{flag|France}} || align=center|2,000 || align=center|18 || align=center|17 ||  || [[Brussels]], [[Zürich]]
|-
| align=center|– || style="text-decoration: line-through" | 1999 || style="text-decoration: line-through" | [[Manchester]] || style="text-decoration: line-through" | {{flag|United Kingdom}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || Cancelled || [[Cologne]]
|-
| align=center|6 || 2000 || [[Zürich]] || {{flag|Switzerland}} || align=center|4,500 ||  || align=center|19 ||  || [[Hamburg]] 
|-
| align=center|7 || 2001 || [[Hanover]] || {{flag|Germany}} || align=center|1,500 ||  || align=center|7 || Small EuroGames || 
|-
| align=center|8 || 2003 || [[Copenhagen]] || {{flag|Denmark}} || align=center|2,200 ||  || align=center|7 || Small EuroGames || 
|-
| align=center|9 || 2004 || [[Munich]] || {{flag|Germany}} || align=center|5,050 || align=center|38 || align=center|27 ||  || [[Vienna]]
|-
| align=center|10 || 2005 || [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]] || {{flag|Netherlands}} || align=center|2,855 || align=center|44 || align=center|9 || Small EuroGames || 
|-
| align=center|11 || 2007 || [[Antwerp]] || {{flag|Belgium}} || align=center|3,650 || align=center|38 || align=center|11+1 || Small EuroGames || 
|-
| align=center|12 || 2008 || [[Barcelona]] || {{flag|Spain}} || align=center|>5,000 || align=center|40 || align=center|25 ||  || 
|-
| align=center|13 || 2011 || [[Rotterdam]] || {{flag|Netherlands}} || align=center|>3,000 ||  || align=center|26 ||  || 
|-
| align=center|14 || 2012 || [[Budapest]] || {{flag|Hungary}} ||  ||  ||  ||  || 
|-
| align=center|15 || 2015 || [[Stockholm]] || {{flag|Sweden}} || align=center|4,465 || align=center|71 || align=center|28 || Big EuroGames || 
|-
| align=center|16 || 2016 || [[Helsinki]] || {{flag|Finland}} || align=center|1,400 || align=center|40 || align=center|14 || EuroGames || 
|-
| align=center|17 || 2019 || [[Rome]] || {{flag|Italy}} ||  ||  ||  ||  || 
|-
| align=center|–  || style="text-decoration: line-through" | 2020 || style="text-decoration: line-through" | [[Düsseldorf]] || style="text-decoration: line-through" | {{flag|Germany}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || Cancelled || 
|-
| align=center|18 || 2021 || [[Copenhagen]]/[[Malmö]] || {{flag|Denmark}}/{{flag|Sweden}} || align=center|2,000 || || align=center|22 || ||
|-
| align=center|19 || 2022 || [[Nijmegen]] || {{flag|Netherlands}} || align=center|>2,000 ||  || align=center|17 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|20 || 2023 || [[Bern]] || {{flag|Switzerland}} || align=center|>2,000 || align=center|75 || align=center|20  ||  ||
|-
| align=center|21 || [[EuroGames Vienna 2024|2024]] || [[Vienna]] || {{flag|Austria}} || align=center|3988 ||  || align=center|31 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|22 || 2025 || [[Lyon]] || {{flag|France}} || align=center|5500 || ||  ||  ||
|-
| align=center|23 || 2027 || [[Cardiff]] || {{flag|United Kingdom}} ||  ||  ||  || || [[Munich]]<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2024-06-07|date=2024-03-14|title=EGSLF elects Cardiff, UK, as EuroGames 2027 host City|url=https://www.eglsf.info/euro-games/eglsf-elects-cardiff-uk-as-eurogames-2027-host-city/|website=EGSLF}}</ref>
|-
|}

=== Bern 2023 ===
[[File:LGBT flags in Bern during EuroGames 2023 03 (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|250 LGBT flags in Bern center during EuroGames & Pride]]
[[File:Jasmine Imboden EuroGames 2023 Bern 19.jpg|thumb|Jasmine Imbogen, co-president of EuroGames 2023 at the track &field|alt=Jasmine posing for a portrait at the track &field stadium]]

The 2023 EuroGames took place in [[Bern]], [[Switzerland]] from 26 to 29 July 2023, with 20 sporting disciplines and over 2,000 athletes of various sexual orientations and gender identities participated in the event.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-26 |title=Eurogames: LGBTQ-Olympia startet in Bern |url=https://www.20min.ch/story/euro-games-bern-2023-919556596550 |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=20 Minuten |language=de}}</ref> 

The sporting event included also demonstration sports like [[Quidditch (real-life sport)|quidditch]] and local recreational hiking.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-07 |title=Timed Hiking - EuroGames 2023 Bern |url=https://eurogames2023.ch/timed-hiking/ |access-date=2023-07-28 |language=en-US}}</ref> Classic disciplines included tennis and bowling, but also other newer disciplines such as [[street workout]], the [[Hyrox]] challenge and many other activities were scheduled.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-26 |title=Sports - EuroGames 2023 Bern |url=https://eurogames2023.ch/sports/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |language=en-US}}</ref>

For the occasion The city of Bern has had to deactivate its [[Twitter]] comment function following [[Homophobia|homophobic]] comments, notably from the Swiss [[Young SVP]] party. The youth branch of the [[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland]] has indicated that they are considering filing a complaint.<ref name="20min.ch" />[[File:EuroGames 2023 Bern - night program with Q.U.M. (Queer Underground Movement).jpg|alt=EuroGames 2023 guests impacted Bern to have big Village and night program (Q.U.M. stage)|thumb|Village at night (Q.U.M. stage)]]

Jasmine Imboden and Greg Zwygart were co-presidents of 2023 EuroGames association.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=EuroGames in Bern: Über 2.000 Sportler*innen erwartet – auch aus Russland |url=https://www.queer.de/detail.php?article_id=46077 |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=queer.de |language=de-DE}}</ref> According to Greg Zwygart, the EuroGames is an inclusive sport event, also for heterosexual athletes. The event includes trans and intersex people even though these categories of people are not present in some sport disciplines.<ref name=":0" />

EuroGames 2023 hosting impacted Bern Pride to have exceptionally big Village and elaborate multi-day and multi-vanue program mostly with local talent and few guests.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BernPride - Programm |url=https://www.bernpride.ch/schedule |access-date=2023-08-07 |website=www.bernpride.ch}}</ref>

=== Vienna 2024 ===
[[File:EuroGames_2024_Vienna_15_36_50_187000_(cropped).jpeg|left|thumb|“Out in Sport” conference pannel]]
[[EuroGames Vienna 2024]] had its kick-off event as a part of [[Vienna Pride]] programs on June 9, 2023 at the Vienna City Hall.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kick-off-Event EuroGames Vienna 2024 |url=https://viennapride.at/event/kick-off-event-eurogames-vienna-2024/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Vienna Pride |language=de-DE}}</ref>
[[File:EuroGames_2024_Vienna_Pride_Run_15_26_28_578000.jpeg|thumb|[[EuroGames 2027 Cardiff]] promotersat Pride Run [[EuroGames Vienna 2024]]]]
The multi-sport championship took place from July 17 to 20, 2024, and included 4,000 participants from 90 countries, competing in 32 different disciplines.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=red |first=wien ORF at/Agenturen |date=2024-07-20 |title=Eurogames zu Ende |url=https://wien.orf.at/stories/3265921/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=wien.ORF.at |language=de}}</ref> The [[City of Vienna]], supported EuroGames Vienna 2024 extensively with a subsidy of 150,000 euros, in addition to the provision of numerous sports venues and infrastructure. The program included an opening ceremony, a closing ceremony and a five-day program at EuroGames village.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-07 |title=EuroGames 2024 erstmals in Wien ausgetragen |url=https://www.vienna.at/eurogames-2024-erstmals-in-wien-ausgetragen/8121019 |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=vienna.at}}</ref> A financial support program was set up to enable the participation of over 100 people from countries in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe where the LGBT community is still discriminated against.<ref name=":2" /> On the EuroGames opening day sports policy conference named “Out in Sport - How Sport can Unite and not Divide” included many prominent Austrian and few international speakers and was broadcast by national TV.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-29 |title=Sports Conference - EuroGames Vienna 2024 |url=https://eurogames2024.at/eurogames2024/sports-conference/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== Lyon 2025 ===
[[File:EuroGames 2025 Lyon promoted at Bern Pride 2023.jpg|thumb|left|[[EuroGames Lyon 2025]] promo banner at [[Bern Pride 2023]]]]
[[File:EGLSF and the Region of LYON promoted at EuroGames 2025 closing ceremony.jpg|alt=photo of stage surrounded by big displays with EGLSF logo and the Region of LYON also promoted via banner at EuroGames 2025 closing ceremony|thumb|EGLSF and the Region of LYON promoted at EuroGames 2025 closing ceremony|left]]
{{Interlanguage link|Julie Nublat-Faure|lt=Julie Nublat-Faure|fr}}, the deputy mayor of Lyon in charge of sports, announced on Twitter, that the 2025 EuroGames would be held in Lyon from 23 to 26 July 2025. This is the first time the city hosts a European sports competition dedicated to the LGBT+ community, with a plan to bring together 4,000 athletes from over 40 countries in Europe and around the world to participate in over thirty sporting disciplines and cultural program, including tennis, football, rugby, synchronised swimming, pétanque, sailing, dance and choral singing, with the support of fifteen clubs affiliated to the OSL.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |date=2022-04-15 |title=EuroGames : l'événement sportif LGBT+ s'installe à Lyon en 2025 |url=https://vivrelyon.net/eurogames-levenement-sportif-lgbt-sinstalle-a-lyon-en-2025/ |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=Vivre Lyon |language=fr-FR}}<!-- auto-translated by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web|access-date=2023-07-28|date=2022-08-04|first=Romain|language=fr-FR|last=Vallet|title=EuroGames 2025 : il va y avoir du sport !|url=https://www.heteroclite.org/2022/08/eurogames-2025-il-va-y-avoir-du-sport-65898|website=Hétéroclite}}<!-- auto-translated by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> The LGBT+ Sports Federation also pointed out that this event offers the opportunity "to exchange ideas and raise awareness among participants and spectators around themes such as LBGT+ handisport, the fight against serophobia, and notions of gender and sexual orientation".<ref name=":1" />

== See also ==
{{Portal|LGBTQ|Sports}}
* [[Europride]]
* [[Gay Games]] / [[Federation of Gay Games]]
* [[Principle 6 campaign]]
* [[World Outgames]] / [[Gay and Lesbian International Sport Association]]
* [[WorldPride]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{official website}}
* [https://www.eglsf.info European Gay And Lesbian Sport Federation]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041011032616/http://www.queersport.org/ Archive of QueerSport.org - first European Gay And Lesbian Sports Guide]

{{commons category|Eurogames}}

{{International multi-sport events}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eurogames (Lgbt Sporting Event)}}

[[Category:LGBTQ sports events]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1992]]
[[Category:European international sports competitions]]
[[Category:Multi-sport events in Europe]]