July 17 to 20

Largest LGBTIQ+ sports festival in Europe in Vienna this year

With the EuroGames Vienna 2024, the largest sports festival of the LGBTIQ+ community in Europe is taking place in Vienna for the first time this year. (Bild: APA/AFP/ANP/Eva Plevier)

The EuroGames Vienna 2024, the largest sports festival for the LGBTIQ+ community in Europe, will take place in Vienna for the first time this year. Up to 4,000 athletes from all over Europe are expected to take part in the event, which will take place from July 17 to 20 under the banner of diversity and inclusion. Over 3,000 participants have already registered, and popular sports such as soccer and tennis are almost fully booked.

More than 30 sports for all genders and all age groups will be on offer at the major event for queer amateur athletes, which was launched in the 1990s and is based on the Gay Games. Darts, flag football, padel, racketlon, roller derby, roundnet and table soccer are on the program for the first time. In addition to several running competitions in the Prater, a two-day golf tournament will be held at the Golfpark Vienna in Süßenbrunn. Martial arts enthusiasts can compete in boxing, Muay Thai, BJJ or MMA at the Rappachgasse training center. The swimming competitions will take place in the Stadthallenbad.

"We hope to be able to bring about a lasting positive change in sport"
Whether experienced athletes or newcomers, everyone is welcome to take part," said Bianca Gebhart, Sports Manager at EuroGames Vienna 2024, in a press release. The organizing team wants to make the multi-sport event more accessible, especially for women, inter, trans and non-binary people. "Unfortunately, trans and inter people as well as lesbian women are particularly disadvantaged in the field of sport. And in competitive sport in particular, we see that discrimination against gay men is still widespread and that we still have a long way to go to eliminate discrimination against queer people," stated Candy Licious, who is involved in the EuroGames team. This makes it all the more important to "draw attention to diversity and gender diversity in sport. We hope that the EuroGames can also bring about a lasting positive change in sport so that everyone feels safe and seen in sport," said the drag queen on the occasion of the International Day against Homo-, Bi-, Inter- and Transphobia on May 17.

Meanwhile, the organizers are still looking for volunteers to help make the EuroGames a success. Around 300 volunteers aged 16 and over are still needed. "Whether it's looking after our athletes, setting up or dismantling, our volunteers can expect a variety of tasks at the various sports venues and in the EuroGames Village on Karlsplatz," explained Maria Schinko and Gerhard Marchl, who are part of the organization team. As part of EuroGames Corporate Volunteering, entire companies and their employees can also get involved and lend a hand.

The EuroGames were awarded to Vienna for 2024 by the EGLSF (European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation). They are a non-profit event, organized by a non-profit association and open to all spectators free of charge. The EuroGames Vienna 2024 are sponsored by the Ministry of Sport and the City of Vienna and organized as a Green Event.