As the Gay Games ventured back into Europe for the first time since the Amsterdam Games in 1998, it was clear there were unique challenges faced by the organizers.“Tournament fatigue,” caused by the creation of a secondary quadrennial sports festival in the Outgames, was taking a toll on registrations. The second World Outgames, held the year before, drew about half the number of registrants as Montreal.

WWB had supported the 2009 WOG, offering two scholarships, but found no takers.Three WWB wrestlers did attend at their own expense, but the tournament drew just nine wrestlers, ranging from lightweight to super heavyweight. After considering the high cost of the event and the strain on organizations trying to support multiple quadrennial events, WWB joined several other organizations in calling for an end to the WOGs and a return to the “one quadrennial event” system that had served the community since 1982 with the Gay Games. The Gay Games offer the best opportunity for the “critical mass” of global sports participants without asking the athletes to subsidize the cost of conferences and parties.

The Cologne wrestling registration was the smallest Gay Games turnout since the event started offering women’s wrestling in 1994. The 1QE confusion, a depressed global economy, and lack of clarity over Cologne’s drug-testing policy were all seen as contributing factors. Thirty-eight wrestlers competed, however, and showed no diminishment of talent level.

The competition highlight was the return of Harbour City WC to the Gay Games after having missed Chicago. Housed on the outskirts of town in a wrestling “mini-village” with several other WWB competitors, the Silverbacks won three medals and proved so charged up by the experience that they travelled to San Francisco the next several years to participate in the Don Jung Memorial Tournament, donating their share of the funds to help establish the Cbus Wrestling Club in Ohio, host state for Gay Games 9.

Off the mat, the wrestlers took full advantage of the fantastic (and inexpensive) local cuisine. When all of the other athletes left the Opening Ceremonies and headed downtown to find a late night supper, the wrestlers, with no debate, headed en masse in the opposite direction to find a bistro where they could eat and party without having to wait for service. The bistro owners were delighted to have the unexpected business.

To read WWB Chairman Roger Brigham's column on the opening of the 2010 Gay Games in the Bay Area Reporter, click here.