Paris to Host Gay Games 2018

The Federation of Gay Games announced Monday the result of the vote to choose the host of Gay Games X. Paris, France was chosen over fellow finalists Limerick and London to organize the 2018 edition of the world's largest sporting and cultural event open to all.

The international delegates and board of directors of the Federation of Gay Games voted at the end of a three-day meeting featuring site inspection reports, question-and-answer sessions, committee reviews and, a highlight of the event, the oral presentation by each bidding organization. This meeting was held in Cleveland, host with Akron, of the 2014 Gay Games, presented by the Cleveland Foundation next year from 9-16 August.

David Killian, co-chair of the FGG Site Selection Committee, noted some factors that may have influenced voters in their choice: "The vote is the result of dozens of individual choices, but some points stood out for many voters. Paris proposed a wide range of sports in quality venues, many of which offer good visibility for the event. French LGBT sport organizations already have a great deal of experience hosting international multisport tournaments, and their LGBT community presents outstanding cultural events. They are already well advanced in planning, for example, with the designation of a dedicated sports manager. They arrived with demonstrable political support, including Minister for Sport Valerie Fourneyron and five-time Olympic fencing medalist Laura Flessel, who were part of the presentation team. And of course Paris is a great destination to visit or revisit."

FGG co-president Kurt Dahl described the next steps: "With the selection of our presumptive host, we open a 90-day window to execute our license agreement, with the support of law firm Fox Rothschild on the FGG side. We entered this process close to agreement with all three bidders, so we're convinced that we will be able to confirm Paris as the host of Gay Games X very shortly."

FGG co-president Emy Ritt noted the high level of all the bids and those behind them: "It's been such an enriching experience to discover so many new people through this bidding cycle. The talent, energy, and enthusiasm of these men and women was inspiring to all of us at the Federation. We are convinced that all involved will continue to contribute to the Gay Games movement, and we would be fortunate to benefit as an organization from the participation of such outstanding individuals."

"The quality of bids for 2018 was superb," said Dahl. "We thank the teams from Limerick and London for taking part in the Gay Games X bidding process. Their communities should be proud of the detailed plans and enormous heart they showed in their proposals. It's a real demonstration how deeply important the Gay Games has become over the years that so many talented people from around the world want to carry on its legacy."

For information about the Federation of Gay Games, visit www.gaygames.org.