Sydney to host world gay rugby championships
Australia on Friday won the right to host the world gay rugby
championships in Sydney in 2014, with organisers hoping the event will
help address homophobia in sport.
The Sydney Convicts Rugby Club, Australia's first gay rugby union
team, said the International Gay Rugby Association and Board had
announced it had the rights to host the seventh bi-annual Bingham Cup.
"When the Bingham Cup is played in Sydney it will further dispel the
myth that gay men cannot play tough contact sport," head of the Sydney
bid committee, Andrew Purchas, said.
"The tournament will shine a national spotlight on homophobia in
sport, which is still endemic to many of our country's sporting fields
and experienced by young gay athletes." Officials said that the wide
support in sports-mad Australia - from Prime Minister Julia Gillard down
- for the tournament was remarkable and highlighted Australia's
willingness to tackle homophobia on the pitch.
The Bingham Cup is named after American gay rugby player Mark
Bingham, who died on United Airlines Flight 93 when it crashed into a
Pennsylvania field during the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United
States.
The Sydney Convicts Rugby Club, winners of the 2012 Bingham Cup, led
the bid to host the week-long event which will see up to 40 teams and
1,500 players, coaches and supporters visit Sydney.
AFP |