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Press
Release
MONTRÉAL
2006 GAY GAMES VII:
Negociations between Montréal
2006 and the Federation of Gay Games continue
Montréal, 17 October 2003
- After two years of negotiations with the Federation
of Gay Games (FGG), we find ourselves in a crisis
situation. Fundamentally, Montréal 2006 (Gay Games
Organising Committee) and the FGG cannot agree
on a vision of the Games, its scope and control
over the financing it will receive. "It is from
this perspective," stated the Montréal 2006 co-presidents,
Ms. Lucie Duguay and Mr. Mark Tewksbury, "that
we requested arbitration with the FGG last week."
In response to this demand,
the Negotiation Committee of the Federation and
Montréal 2006 held a conference call yesterday.
The Federation has rejected arbitration and continues
in its demands. Although the FGG has refused to
meet with us face to face, we have agreed to continue
negotiations on the points of contention. Montréal
2006 wants the members of the Federation, who
will be meeting at the annual meeting in Chicago
November 9th to 15th, to be the ones to decide.
It was on October 25, 2001,
at Johannesburg, that Montréal was chosen by the
FGG to host the Gay Games in 2006. This choice
was made based on a highly detailed bid document
describing both the sporting and cultural activities
planned, as well as the number of anticipated
participants and financing. "It was always on
this basis," explained Louise Roy, Director of
the Montréal Games, "that we negotiated with the
FGG. Today, we are at an impasse due essentially
to fundamental differences between our organisation
and the FGG with regard to our respective visions
of these games. In document after document, we
have accepted to give in to various demands from
the Federation, in particular we have already
scaled down our athlete participation forecast
from 24,000 to 16,000, and our budget forecast
from 20 million dollars Canadian to 16 million
dollars. But there are certain basic principles
that we cannot afford to ignore without endangering
the Games themselves, as well as their financial
viability."
The two essential points dividing
Montréal 2006 and the FGG are:
- The founding principles of
the FGG revolve around the idea of developing
sporting and cultural activities for the gay
and lesbian movement worldwide. It is in this
spirit that Montréal 2006 proposed that the
games be produced on a larger scale than previous
games. Over the last two years, we have developed
contacts within some 500 gay and lesbian sports
teams wherever possible around the world, allowing
us to realistically anticipate a greater number
of participants than at the previous Sydney
Games. Moreover, this will be the first time
in twelve years that the Gay Games return to
North America. Understandably, our contacts
with the North American teams have clearly stated
their position on the number of participants
that they would like to see. In addition, to
finance the Games a certain level of participation
is necessary in order to attract the interest
of major sponsors. Our vision on this issue
is not shared by the FGG: their contract requires
Montréal Games be planned on the basis of 12,000
participants. We know this would be a financial
disaster, and to operate the Games without deficit,
we must aim for a minimum of 16,000 participants.
In fact, the level of sponsorships is proportional
to the scope of the event and our current funding
is already in place for this level of participation.
- Montréal 2006 has enjoyed
the unfailing support of the governments of
Québec and Canada, the City of Montréal and
of Tourism Montréal. This translates into financial
commitments of over 5 million dollars, something
never before been seen in the history of the
Gay Games. Montréal 2006 has also signed an
agreement with a national television network,
Radio-Canada, for official event coverage -
another first in the history of the Games -as
well as agreements with private sponsors. Yet
the FGG insists on having total control over
how these resources are spent. For Montréal
2006, it is unthinkable that financial decisions
on the Games be made by anyone other than its
Board of Directors, who are legally responsible
for the outcome of the event. As well, the citizens
of Montréal, Québec and of Canada would never
accept the use of their tax dollars being determined
by a small group of people directing the FGG.
During the conference call,
it was agreed that the FGG will, as quickly as
possible, provide Montréal 2006 with a budget
proposal based on 12,000 participants. This budget
should include sporting and cultural activities
(opening and closing ceremonies, galas, television
coverage, etc.) and remain financially viable
so that our funding partners will remain on board.
It is also obvious, after our
telephone conversation, that none of our funding
partners, public or private, who firmly support
Montréal 2006, will ever accept having financial
control exercised by anyone other than the Montréal
2006 Organising Committee. On the other hand,
Montréal 2006 has offered to include the FGG in
certain decision-making processes.
"We still hope," concludes Ms.
Roy, "that the FGG and Montréal 2006 can come
to an agreement and that we will be able to announce
this in Chicago. After working on this project
for two years, we have now established links with
some 500 gay and lesbian sports teams around the
world, which means that we can look forward to
an edition of the Games on an unprecedented scale,
regardless of the outcome of our negotiations
with the FGG."
– 30 –
Sources:
Tom Czerniecki, Marketing Communications
Director
Montréal 2006
(514) 252-5860
tomcz@montreal2006.org
Jean Héon, Communications
Montréal 2006
(514) 213-0412
jeanheon@substance.ca |
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