For Immediate Release – 17 March 2009

Contacts:    Kevin Boyer, FGG Spokesperson, Kevin.Boyer@..., +1 312-588-3718

                  Kelly Stevens, FGG Officer of Communications, kstevens@..., 1+ 206-295-9498

Federation of Gay Games announces Finalists for Gay Games IX

Groups from Boston, Cleveland, and Washington, DC meet final bid criteria for 2014 Games

San Francisco, CA, USA - Today the international Federation of Gay Games (FGG) announced that it had received completed bid documents from groups in Boston, Massachusetts, Cleveland, Ohio, and Washington, DC competing for hosting Gay Games IX in 2014. Federation Officer for Site Selection Darl Schaaff (Anchorage, Alaska) declared: "The FGG is delighted to receive three final bids of very high quality. The number of inquiries we have received throughout the process encouraged us to believe that we would end up with a number of fine options for Gay Games IX, but these three cities demonstrate a real understanding of the scope and mission of the Gay Games. To choose one winner from among three great bidders won't be easy."

Site Selection co-chair Dennis Sneyers (Chicago, Illinois) explained that "FGG members and volunteers will be submitting their questions for clarification to bidders over the coming weeks. In July-August 2009 a team of site inspectors will visit the three cities to meet the bidding team and see the venues proposed. At our 2009 Annual Meeting in Cologne, Germany, in September, bidders will make their final presentation and eligible members of the FGG Assembly will vote to choose the host for 2014."

FGG Officer for Sport Marc Naimark (Paris, France) expressed his satisfaction with the sports programs offered. "The FGG made some significant changes for this bid cycle to allow bidders greater flexibility in putting together their sports programs. I'm pleased that each of the bidders has taken advantage of this flexibility to offer a program that reflects its ability to offer the best events possible for Gay Games participants, in the most suitable venues, with the most experienced support staff. They have taken to heart our desire for Games that balance regional interest and international scope, and our particular priority for gender parity. And our new policy for introducing new sports before bids were submitted worked quite well with the request from Cleveland to add Rodeo to their programme."

FGG Officer for Culture Robby Davis (Seattle, Washington) noted: "Each of the bidders has met the FGG's minimum requirements for Gay Games cultural events, with some spectacular ideas for executing these events. They will be partnering with top-notch organisations to enrich their cultural programs, including conferences on topics that are truly suited to the Gay Games, such as the focus on young LGBT athletes from Boston and the symposia on women in sport from Washington, DC.

Federation Co-President Emy Ritt (Paris, France) wished all bidders well, and thanked those who had participated in earlier stages of the bidding process. "We've had contact with some great people from cities around the world that would be wonderful hosts of the Gay Games, and we thank them for the efforts they have made. As we continue to work with the hosts of Gay Games VIII in Cologne, Germany, to ensure the success of the 2010 Games, and begin the intensive site selection process for the 2014 Games, we encourage potential hosts for Gay Games X in 2018, from every part of the world, to start laying the groundwork for their bids." 

For information on how to sponsor or participate in Gay Games VIII, visit www.games-cologne.com. For

information concerning sponsors of the Federation of Gay Games go to www.gaygames.org.

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About The Federation of Gay Games:

The Federation of Gay Games is the international governing body that perpetuates the quadrennial Gay

Games and promotes the event's founding principles of “Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best”™.

The Gay Games were conceived by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, and were first held in San

Francisco in 1982.

“Gay Games”, “Federation of Gay Games”, the interlocking circles device, and the phrase “Participation,

Inclusion and Personal Best” are trademarks of the Federation of Gay Games, Inc Trade marks are

registered in the USA, Canada, Benelux, the UK, Germany and Australia.

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Gay Games IX bidding background sheet/FAQ

Gay Games IX will be held in 2014. Bids have been submitted by Organizations in three cities: Boston, Massachusetts; Cleveland, Ohio; and Washington, D.C.

Previous Gay Games have been held in San Francisco (1982 and 1986), Vancouver (1990), New York (1994), Amsterdam (1998), Sydney (2002), and Chicago (2006). The next edition will take place in Cologne, Germany, from 31 July to 7 August 2010 (visit www.games-cologne.com for more information).

Q: Who will vote to select the Host of Gay Games IX?

A: Members of the General Assembly of the Federation of Gay Games. Voting members come from Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Only full members meeting certain requirements will vote on the choice of the Host ("site selection"), but all members and volunteers will participate in the review of bids.

Q: When will the Host be selected?

A: The vote for the Host will take place on September 29, 2009, during the FGG annual meeting to be held in Cologne, Germany, Host of Gay Games VIII 2010.

Q: What elements are expected in the bid books?

A: Bid books must describe, among other things, the opening and closing ceremonies, the sports program, and the culture program, along with detailed project management and budget information.

Q: Will there be conferences as part of Gay Games IX?

A: Conferences have been held at almost every Gay Games. Given that the focus of the Gay Games are sports and culture, Gay Games Host organizations are strongly encouraged to work with qualified partners for all ancillary activities, including conferences.

Q: What events are included in the culture program?

A: Bidders must include four cultural events: a choral festival, a band festival, a visual arts event, and the International Rainbow Memorial Run, a commemorative event for those lost to AIDS and breast cancer. In addition, our Gay Games VIII Hosts in Cologne have added features that the FGG would be pleased to see included in future Gay Games, such as a Cheerleading competition and an orchestra festival.

Q: What events are included in the sports program?

A: The current bids for Gay Games IX are the first to be made under a new sports policy adopted in 2007, which requires a minimum of 18 of the current 24 "core sports". Under this policy, bidders are not required to offer sports for which facilities, local interest, or expertise may not be available. Up to a total of 30 sports may be included in bids, including core sports, additional sports, historic Gay Games sports, and totally new sports to the Gay Games.

Q: How will the sports programme be evaluated?

A: Bidders are expected to propose a sports programme that offers a balance according to regional interest, gender parity, accessibility, cost of participation and execution, etc. In the past, new sports were added only after a Host was selected, as has been the case for Gay Games VIII, which has added historic Gay Games sports Field Hockey, Handball, and Sailing, along with a sport that will appear for the first time ever in the Games: Sport Shooting. These sports were added in response to particular interest amongst European athletes for these sports. For Gay Games IX, bidders have been offered the possibility of requesting approval for new sports before presenting their bid.

Q: How will FGG voters evaluate the bids?

A: Eligible FGG member organisations will be selecting a Host whose bid best reflects the capacity to organise and execute a Gay Games, following the tradition begun over twenty-five years ago. Bid evaluations will be based upon the bidder’s understanding and implementation of the Gay Games principles of "participation, inclusion, and personal best™". The quality of the venues offered, experience in project management, availability of financial and government support, the type of sport and cultural events offered are all part of the selection criteria and analysis.

Q: How much is the license fee?

A: The license fee paid by the Host will be based on the number of registered participants, using a model that shares the financial risk, while promoting collaboration and teamwork between FGG and the Host. The fees and payment schedule will be a matter for discussion between the FGG and the selected Host of Gay Games IX.

Q: What is the relationship between the FGG and the future Host?

A: As the governing body of the Gay Games, FGG acts as a guardian of the image and brand of the Gay Games, and in close collaboration with the Host, works to ensure a successful Gay Games. FGG makes available a series of resources via its “Host City Starter Kit”, including technical resources, such as the sports and culture operating manuals and information provided by previous Hosts (demographics, user surveys, Host final reports, etc.).

Q: What additional services is FGG planning to offer Hosts?

The FGG has been working even more closely with Games Cologne, the Host of Gay Games VIII in 2010, by carrying out a number of joint marketing operations throughout the world. For Gay Games IX, FGG will be offering substantially increased services with the provision of a turnkey registration system and website, freeing Hosts from the costly and time-consuming task of creating their own system from scratch. In addition to this, the FGG will be providing start-up funding to enable the future Host to become operational immediately after selection.

Q: Where are the 2014 bidders located?

A: During the 2010 bid cycle, the three bidders were from Europe and Africa. The 2014 bidders happen to all be from the USA: Boston, Cleveland, and Washington, D.C.

Q: Where will 2018 be held?

FGG has already received interest from organisations regarding a 2018 bid, and we look forward to bids from all parts of the world.