The competition between international gay sports festivals to be held in Montreal and Chicago in 2006 is heating up. Just days after the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) selected Chicago to be the host city of the 2006 edition of the games, The European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF) voted to withdraw from the FGG. The decision to withdraw came on March 7, at the annual assembly of the EGLSF. The EGLSF was founded in 1989 with a membership of more that 100 sports teams and 10,000 athletes in Europe.

Équipe Montréal, the GLBT sports organization for that city, also withdrew from the FGG in November 2003 after Montréal 2006 (the original host city for the 2006 games) and the FGG’s negotiations over financial issues related to the games failed.

The EGLSF and Équipe Montréal have had strong ties for many years now. The European organization was firmly in favor of Montréal when its candidature for the Gay Games was unveiled in 2001 in Johannesburg. The EGLSF also voted overwhelmingly against the withdrawal of the Gay Games in Montréal during the FGG’s annual assembly in Chicago last November. The EGLSF is a federation whose mission is to deliver services to its members, promote the creation of new teams and to defend of gay and lesbian rights. The Federation has official observer status with the Council of Europe.

Rendez-Vous Montréal 2006, the official title of the international gay sports gathering to be held in Montreal, has just signed an important agreement with the EGLSF which includes provisions for the transfer of information between Rendez-Vous Montréal 2006 and the European Federation as well as for joint promotions related to the 2004 EuroGames in Munich, Germany, and the games planned in Utrecht, Netherlands. In return, the EGLSF agrees to post reciprocal link exchanges on many different web sites.

Rendez-Vous Montréal 2006 has benefited from the experience of the European organization, particularly the EGLSF’s experience in organizing the EuroGames since 1992. The European games are held annually, three years out of four, and have been an important influence on the development of the European gay and lesbian sports movement. The EuroGames will be held this year in Munich, Germany, from July 29 to August 1, and over 5,000 athletes are expected to attend.

“Rendez-Vous Montréal 2006 has now hit its stride,” said Ms. Louise Roy, chief executive officer of Rendez-vous Montréal 2006. “With the support of its sponsors, the federal and provincial governments, the City of Montréal, Tourisme Montréal, the Hotel Association of Greater Montréal, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Labatt Breweries, with which we are proud to have reached an agreement …, with the strength of the support of hundreds of gay and lesbian sports teams around the world, and with registrations starting in June, we are more than confident that Rendez-Vous Montréal 2006 will be an unparalleled success, and an embodiment of our core principles of participation, inclusion and personal best.”