Monday December 11, 2006
Montreal Homosexual OutGames Bankrupt
By Hilary White
MONTREAL, December 11, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The First World Outgames, not to be confused with the Gay Games, is likely to be the last. The homosexual sporting event, held in Montreal this past summer and paid for with generous donations of funds from taxpayers, is bankrupt.
The games organization faces a $2.09-million debt after first predicting a 200,000 surplus. Altogether, the games lost over $5 million.
According to the French-language TV channel LCN, the event’s organizing committee is under bankruptcy protection. The committee has thirty days to try to satisfy its creditors, including the celebrity spokesmen who touted the event in the press.
Retired tennis star and gay-athlete icon Martina Navratilova is reportedly still owed half the $39,384.32. Olympic swimming champion Mark Tewksbury who lent his name for the publicity is owed $1,055 and Cirque du Soleil is waiting for $48,209.30.
The games, whose motto was “social change through sport”, took place from July 26, 2006 to August 5, and was supported in part by a $3 million donation from the Province of Quebec.
The Montreal Gazette reports that many suppliers for the games were left unpaid when the government refused to step in to pay the bills. The Outgames recorded a deficit estimated to be $5.3 million. The Gazette reported that as of the middle of November, the website of the World Outgames had been shut down and voicemail was answering the phone.
In addition to the province of Quebec, the games’ sponsors included the city of Montreal, the Government of Canada, pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKline, Air Canada, Labatt Brewing Company, and Bell Canada.
The games were open to anyone who applied to participate with no qualifying requirements for competing and were held in connection with an international conference on homosexual political activism.
Montreal Officials Prepare for Gay Outgames by Amassing Emergency HIV Drugs
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