Commonwealth Games: Countries with homophobic(LGBTQ+) laws unlikely to host

FOTHER-MUCKER

Commonwealth Games: Countries with homophobic laws unlikely to host

[size=0.8125]By Phil Mackie & Katie Thompson
BBC News

• Published
  6 days ago
  
  
  

Share


Image caption, Birmingham 2022 is expected to be the most inclusive Games yet

Countries where is it illegal to be gay are less likely to host the Commonwealth Games in the future, the head of its federation has said.

More than half of the 54 countries competing in Birmingham 2022 have laws against same sex relationships.

LGBT athletes will be able to wave the rainbow flag on the podium for the first time at the Games.

Katie Sadlier, of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said it "embraces inclusiveness in everything we do".

The opening ceremony of Birmingham 2022 will take place at the Alexander Stadium in the city on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of the event, the chief executive of the federation said it had a lot of "exceptional" athletes from the LGBT community and it worked closely with them to raise their visibility.

Image caption, Katie Sadlier said the Pride flag will be everywhere in the athletes' village

"I think one of the things that is really important about the Commonwealth Games is its values - humanity, destiny and equity are embedded in most of the things that we do," Ms Sadlier said.

"Having a really strong Commonwealth Pride network is really important for us."

Despite wanting to take the event to Africa or the Caribbean in the future, countries with laws that didn't match its values would be less likely to be successful with a bid.

She added: "Human rights and inclusiveness is ingrained in our constitution. Our membership absolutely values the values that we have and they were central to our bidding process, so that would definitely be taken into consideration."

Former Great Britain and Jamaican 200m swimmer Michael Gunning told the BBC he felt lonely, isolated and ashamed for a long time in his career.

'I was ashamed'

Jamaica is one of the countries where there are still prohibitive laws.

"It's a human right, being gay. You shouldn't be segregated. We shouldn't feel so isolated," he said.

"I was ashamed of my sexuality.

"The representation of our LGBTIQ+ athletes at Birmingham 2022 will be at least three times greater than at the previous Commonwealth Games, but progress is far from universal for our LGBTIQ+ athletes in sport."

When the competition was last held in 2018 on the Gold Coast in Australia there were 13 openly LGBT+ athletes - this time there are more than three times that number.

Image caption, Michael Gunning represented Great Britain before switching to Jamaica in 2016

Gunning said that for a lot of athletes in the community, colonial-era laws are still in place in their countries, so they cannot compete as their authentic selves.

He said it was "really scary" for those athletes and being outed was a massive fear.

"There are still so many countries [where people] can't be open, can't express themselves, they cannot speak openly at home.

"I'm being visible. I'm being that beacon of hope for Jamaicans," he added.

"I really hope that more athletes will feel comfortable, especially at this Games and moving forward to be themselves and show their identity in the sporting arenas."

Gunning, who has retired from the sport, is a Pride House ambassador. The venues are dedicated to LGBT inclusion, diversity and culture and are established at major sporting events.

• Duran Duran to open 2022 Commonwealth Games
• Dance parties set to 'empower' LGBT community
• 'I want to be that representation for young athletes'
  

Located in the city's gay village, Pride House Birmingham, which launched on Friday, is led by 50 volunteers who will welcome people - athletes, spectators and allies - to Birmingham and celebrate the diversity of the city and be a safe and inclusive space during the games. There will also be pop-ups in the athletes' villages.

Volunteer Piero Zizzi said: "Whether they're coming to socialise, to network to meet new people, it's really important to have this space... just something for everyone to come and feel part of the Games and have that kind of unity and that integration so that everyone feels welcome.

"When people are here they can be themselves. They can be surrounded by like minded people. It's a privilege for us, the fact that we can put on a Pride House. We've had sports events in certain countries in the past where Pride Houses haven't been possible.

"They can just come and bring their true, authentic selves and they can celebrate who they are, be proud of who they are."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-62250849

Marionn

I appreciate the information and advice you have shared.
prepaidgiftbalance

dani-rox

the Pride flag will be everywhere in the athletes' village

apasal tak bg kaler hitam abis kat bendera ummah straight? diskriminasi betol, kecik ati akak

hyie

mrasalah nanti theyols buat upacara ritual masa malam pembukaan yachhh...acik2 please take note! tibahhh

sekngucing

express? express camano? tunjuk kotey im gay! im gay! gitu ke..bodoh

FOTHER-MUCKER

Commonwealth Games boss says anti-LGBTQ+ countries unlikely to host – but no ban is in place

Amelia Hansford
]

Homophobic countries are less likely to host the Commonwealth Games going forward – according to its CEO – though nothing is set in stone.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games are taking place in Birmingham from 28 July.

Ahead of the opening ceremony, Commonwealth Games Federation CEO Katie Sadleir addressed calls for a boycott of anti-LGBTQ+ countries.

She told the BBC that countries with laws that don’t match the federation’s values will be less likely to host the games going forward.

However, the federation has not instigated any specific policy or ruling on the matter, despite long-standing calls for a boycott.

More than half of the 54 countries participating in the games have laws prohibiting same-sex marriage, mostly carry-overs from British colonial rule.

Sadleir is keen to bring the Commonwealth Games to countries within Africa or the Caribbean, but is reluctant to consider bids from those that retain anti-LGBTQ+ laws.

She explained that the federation works closely with a lot of “exceptional” LGBTQ+ athletes to raise awareness and visibility.

“I think one of the things that is really important about the Commonwealth Games is its values,” she said. “Humanity, destiny and equity are embedded in most of the things that we do.”

Previously, Sadleir has offered to meet with swimmer Tom Daley, who is among those calling for the games to boycott anti-LGBTQ+ countries.

However, she argued that she can’t “go into the countries” that criminalise being LGBTQ+ and “change their laws at this stage”.

Sadleir has confirmed that LGBTQ+ athletes will be able to raise the Pride flag at the 2022 games.

Retired Great Britain and Jamaica swimmer Michael Gunning is another vocal advocate for inclusion in sport.

He told the BBC that for many queer athletes, “there are still so many countries [where people] can’t be open, can’t express themselves, they cannot speak openly at home”.

“I’m being visible. I’m being that beacon of hope for Jamaicans,” he added.

“I really hope that more athletes will feel comfortable, especially at this Games and moving forward to be themselves and show their identity in the sporting arenas.”

pooh~key

Tahun ni banyak sangat pulak isu gay khen sister? Akak tak tahu nak rasa glad ke atau rasa menyampah ke apa dekkk…. Deep down akak sedar jah benda ni tak patut di normalize kan dekkkk………….

mbhcsf

okalya , tak payah hosting , save duit.  lagipun, apa fungsi commonwealth ?
simbol ape nak letak Queen Of england tinggi daripada ketua negara jajahan ? hek elehh  tak malu , depa yg menjajah, menjarah semua  then nak dictate. then tak payahlah ...PM sendiri pun tak ade , ciss...

mbhcsf

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ali ... te/?sh=7ef13dc7fdf1
status negara ahli komanwel

damsel_fiji

dani-rox replied at 28-7-2022 07:38 PM
apasal tak bg kaler hitam abis kat bendera ummah straight? diskriminasi betol, kecik ati akak :huf ...

byk nye versi pelangi..

FOTHER-MUCKER

Apa sudah jadi, sukan pun nak kibarkan bendera gay!

Kau nak jadi gay ke nak jadi apa pun kau punya suka lah! commonwealth games adalah commonwealth games ….dua benda yang berbeza.

Buatlah world LGBTQ games jikalau nak sangat kibarkan bendera!

mbhcsf

FOTHER-MUCKER replied at 28-7-2022 08:05 PM
Apa sudah jadi, sukan pun nak kibarkan bendera gay!

Kau nak jadi gay ke nak jadi apa pun kau punya  ...

so bila UK time acara pembukaan?

mbhcsf

FOTHER-MUCKER replied at 28-7-2022 08:05 PM
Apa sudah jadi, sukan pun nak kibarkan bendera gay!

Kau nak jadi gay ke nak jadi apa pun kau punya  ...

pukulberapa acara pembukaan tu?

UK time ?

mbhcsf

ini offcial website Commonwealth games 2022

wow , elok  banyak daripada website SEA GAMES Vietnam lepas...

https://www.birmingham2022.com/live-blog

schedule
https://www.birmingham2022.com/results/day-by-day

Jurulatih Russia  dalam gimrama  tak lepas  visa ye...adeh ...

orangbiasaje

mbhcsf replied at 28-7-2022 07:56 PM
okalya , tak payah hosting , save duit.  lagipun, apa fungsi commonwealth ?
simbol ape nak letak Que ...

Setuju. Kos nak hosting boleh buat bankrap lak tu...

sharlenetexas

dani-rox replied at 28-7-2022 07:38 PM
apasal tak bg kaler hitam abis kat bendera ummah straight? diskriminasi betol, kecik ati akak :huf ...

Bendera ummah straight takde pulak kan?

Aseksual tu macamana? Membiak sendiri? Potong dua mcm amoeba?

sharlenetexas

orangbiasaje replied at 28-7-2022 09:47 PM
Setuju. Kos nak hosting boleh buat bankrap lak tu...

Olimpik Montreal 1976 sampai bandar tu bankrap.

sharlenetexas

mbhcsf replied at 28-7-2022 09:28 PM
ini offcial website Commonwealth games 2022

wow , elok  banyak daripada website SEA GAMES Vietnam l ...

Sepatutnya dalam sukan bebas, tak terikat dengan mana2 fahaman.

sharlenetexas

Kuin lizzy kertu ada ke masa pembukaan nanti?

mbhcsf

sharlenetexas replied at 28-7-2022 09:55 PM
Sepatutnya dalam sukan bebas, tak terikat dengan mana2 fahaman.

depabuat takpe, tapi kalau kitaban israel hais kena

tulah justice pada mereka

ala it is okay...commonweslath ni ketuanan inggeris  je hahahah,ala time  time  ni  la Queen nak imbau kegemilangan imperialisme Britain..