London’s Pride House receives Olympic approval

With only 10 days left before the 2012 London Olympic Games, The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) has expressed its support for the Pride House 2012 initiative and festival promoting diversity and inclusivity to take place during the Games.

In a letter from LOCOG CEO Paul Deighton, the committee said it was proud to host the project devised by Pride Sports UK, in collaboration with the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) and the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation, GLISA International, the LGBT Consortium, and the Pride House Foundation.

“As part of the legacy of the Games, we hope that our work across Diversity and Inclusion will have raised the bar for major sporting events and helped to increase the profile for LGBT community in sport across the world,” Deighton wrote.

“Hosting Pride House offers London and the UK a unique opportunity to present itself as a cosmopolitan and inclusive city and country which welcomes the world’s diverse communities and creates a safe sporting environment for LGBT athletes.”

Pride House will be located at CA House on Limehouse Basin from August 3-7 while the Pride House festival will run from August 3-12, with events at CA House and throughout London including live screenings of London 2012 events, relevant LGBT and sports-related discussions, exhibits, photos, and videos celebrating LGBT sport.

The varied programme will also include live music from London LGBT music groups, receptions, two sports days, and an exhibition, Against the Rules, presented by the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation and supported by the European Union which looks at the history of LGBT sport through profiles of pioneering athletes.

Pride Sports UK executive director Lou Englefield said the organisation had been working with LOCOG for the past three years on a variety of projects to improve the inclusion of LGBT people in organised sport.

“This message of support from Paul Deighton for Pride House, along with the ongoing support from Diversity and Inclusion Director Stephen Frost, is a great boost as we try to meet the challenge of relaunching Pride House in a limited timeframe,” he said.

Marc Naimark, vice-president for External Affairs with the FGG, said he was delighted with the co-operation with LOCOG, which included the launch of a rainbow Olympic pin and successfully helping out with calls for LGBT volunteers and volunteer trainers.

“Of course, there is still a long way to go at future Olympics,” Naimark added.

“For example, the FGG wholeheartedly supported the inclusion of a comprehensive LGBT page in the 2012 Olympics athlete guide, and this hasn’t happened.

“This would have been a great way for LGBT athletes to know they are not alone.”

For more information, visit http://pridehouse2012.org/