VIII. Gay Games Cologne 2010

Those visiting the VIII. Gay Games 2010 in Cologne will not only experience cultural insights; they will experience sportive achievements on a high level as well. For some of the audience it is just that, what makes Gay Games so charismatic.

“Cultural events are not my cup of tea, I prefer to watch thrilling sport matches and there Gay Games offers quite a lot”, states Horst H from the audience of the handball matches at the sports university in Cologne. “I am a big handball fan; and I am thrilled by what I’ve seen here. This is a big shoe to fit in even for some members of the Bundesliga. That’s a lot of ambition and passion.”

On the court the match between Pan Copenhagen I. And Raballder Oslo I take place. In contrary to the disembodied character of games like Basketball, Handball is a body lean game. “It looks much tougher as it is” explains H. and points on the court: A player from Pan Copenhagen  received a stroke in the face. The game is immediately interrupted; the opponent apologizes and asks after the wellbeing of his counter player. A penalty throw follows anyway.

As reply on the question if he sees the Gay Games as something special, Horst H. just shakes his head: “Everything around is not of special further interest for me, I am here because of the sports. Neither the origin of someone is of any importance to me, nor is his sexual preferences or whatever else.  What matters here is sport, there are no such boundaries, what counts is the result for the participant and a good match for the audience. Sports is full of emotion, full of power, passion, short everything that characterizes a human. Sport is glue between humans. You fell that here the same way as you did at the World Championship in Germany 2006. Sometimes I get the impression you can feel this even a bit stronger now compared to way back then. The reason is perhaps, that the Gay Games are something unique.”

On the court occurred an involuntary embrace between two players, that causes a high pitch tone of one of them. Everyone burst out laughing, so does Horst H: “I may correct: Definitively unique!”

More photos can be fount at http://www.qubesport.net/photos