Since their split from the Federation of Gay Games, the Rendez-Vous Montréal 2006 organization that will be hosting the first ever OutGames in 2006 has been rallying support for their sports festival. Among the highly touted organizations that were listed as supporters are the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF) and one of the largest sports contingents in the United States, Team New York. Montreal 2006 reaffirmed New York’s commitment in a press release issued earlier this year stating, “Mark Tewksbury, Co-President of Montréal 2006, met last week with Team New York, which has renewed its commitment to attend the Montréal Games and to actively promote Rendez-Vous Montréal 2006.”

However, the board of directors of Team New York is issuing a new statement. At a meeting of the organization’s board of directors on June 7, the organization decided to publicly reaffirm its long-standing commitment to the Gay Games.

Catharina Tjiook, female vice president of Team New York and participant at Gay Games IV and V, said: “Team New York has been a major supporter of the Gay Games from the very beginning. Our mission has always been involved with helping New York-area athletes, artists and their organizations and supporters participate in the quadrennial Gay Games, and we do not expect to shrink from that mission in the foreseeable future. However, we realize that various press releases distributed by both the organizers of Rendez-Vous Montréal 2006 event and the related [Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association (GLISA)] organization over the past few months have given the impression, directly or indirectly, that Team New York is in some way explicitly endorsing these two organizations, and this is not the intention of the board of Team New York. We wish to restate our position that we continue to be closely associated with the Gay Games, and hope to see many of our local athletes and artists attending Gay Games VII in 2006, many of whom may be returning for their second, third or fourth Gay Games experience.”

Shep Wahnon, male vice-president and participant at Gay Games III, V and VI, stated: “We strive to present relevant, up-to-date information about upcoming events through our web site, e-mail messages and quarterly newsletter. We cannot always control how other organizations choose to present information about Team New York, its mission or its position on LGBT sports issues, and thus it is important that we go on record to prevent possible misunderstandings or misrepresentations of our position.”

In further support of this view, Ray Stetson, Team New York board member and participant at Gay Games I, II and IV, said: “We feel strongly committed to the vision of Dr. Tom Waddell, and the ongoing success of the international LGBT sports movement, as organized and promoted by the Federation of Gay Games, and celebrated every four years at the Gay Games. We wish the organizers of Rendez-Vous 2006 in Montreal good luck, and have included a link to their web site, and another one to GLISA, on the Team New York web site, as part of our attempt to be a resource of LGBT sports information to the athletes and artists in the New York area. We will continue to provide information about various local, national or international LGBT sports events, but our main focus and founding mission continues to be with the Gay Games.”

Representatives from the Chicago Gay Games are planning to visit New York in the fall to provide updates on registration, sports venues, housing and other and information about Gay Games VII, which will be held Chicago July 15-22, 2006. Team New York will hold a town hall-type meeting, open to the public, to allow anyone that is interested in Gay Games VII to hear all of the latest developments. Mark Tewksbury of Rendez-Vous Montréal 2006 will also begin a tour to promote the 2006 OutGames in Montreal this summer.

— Press release