GenQ - For the not so straight individual

CHICAGO ? Chicago organizers of the 2006 Gay Games announced today that they now have more than 10,000 participants from more than 45 countries committed to attending the 7th Gay Games, 15-22 July 2006.

?With just 100 days to go before the 2006 Gay Games open in Chicago,? said Brian McGuinness, Gay Games Chicago Executive Director, ?our registration rates remain ahead of expectations with 12,000 participating athletes and artists expected to march into the 15 July 2006 Opening Ceremony at Chicago's Soldier Field.?

Gay Games ?Late Registration? begins Sunday, 16 April 2006, with significant fees assessed for those who register late. Gay Games VII registration opened in July of 2004, earlier than any previous Gay Games. ?Historically, 20% of Gay Games participants register in the last three months before the big event,? said Suzanne Arnold, Gay Games Chicago Board Co-Chair. ?We strongly encourage athletes to register by 15 April 2006 to ensure access to their preferred sport and so they can make appropriate travel and lodging arrangements.?

Sports Reaching Capacity
Badminton, Soccer and Ice Hockey are nearly full. Tennis, Swimming, Volleyball and Basketball are running significantly ahead of projections and organizers encourage participants in each of these sports to register soon. Two sports are full ? Golf and Sailing.

Find a Team or Teammate
Individuals looking for teams and teams needing players can use the online Gay Games "Team Sport Matchmaker" system. ?All athletes will be matched with teams,? said Nancy Harris, Gay Games Chicago Sports Director, ?so there is no need to delay registration.? Gay Games "Matchmaker" and registration are open at http://www.gaygameschicago.org.

Travel & Housing
With tens of thousands coming to Chicago for the 2006 Gay Games, many athletes, artists, family and fans are now turning their attention to travel, housing and immigration issues. Gay Games Chicago offers discounted travel and lodging but many housing options are filling fast. Complete information is available at http://www.gaygameschicago.org.

Immigration Assistance
Gay Games Chicago immigration staff are working directly with several U.S. embassies throughout the world to ensure the smooth entry of participants into the U.S. International participants who might require assistance with immigration and visa issues are encouraged to contact the Gay Games immediately at info@gaygameschicago.org or via phone at +1 (1) 773-907-2006.

About Gay Games VII
Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural Festival will take place 15-22 July 2006. Over 12,000 athletes from more than 100 countries will compete in 30 sports ranging from softball to dancesport, swimming to tennis. The weeklong event will include band, cheerleading and color guard performances, chorus, an ancillary arts festival, and a series of community-organized social events and parties. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 15 July at Soldier Field, the lakefront home stadium of American-style football's Chicago Bears. Closing ceremony will be 22 July at Wrigley Field, the home of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, located in the heart of Chicago's largest LGBT neighborhood.

Global sponsors of Gay Games VII include Lexiva; PlanetOut/Gay.com; Walgreen's; Q Television Network; Centaur Entertainment; Fleishman Hillard International Communications; Orbitz; McKnight Kurland Baccelli; The New York Times; Olivia Cruises & Resorts; Windy City Media Group; American Airlines; Athletico; Chicago Free Press; Chicago Sun-Times; Genre; Girlfriends; Human Rights Campaign; Lambda Legal Defense; Sydney New Mardi Gras; Mate Magazine; Pink Magazine; and more than 180 business sponsors.

Registration for Gay Games VII is now open at http://www.GayGamesChicago.org (English), http://www.GayGamesChicago.org/es/ (Spanish), http://www.GayGamesChicago.org/fr/ (French), and http://www.GayGamesChicago.org/de/ (German).

About The Gay Games
The Gay Games was conceived by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, and was first held in San Francisco in 1982 with 1,350 participants. Subsequent Gay Games have been held in San Francisco (1986; 3,500 participants), Vancouver (1990; 7,300 participants), New York (1994; 12,500 participants), Amsterdam (1998; 13,000 participants), and Sydney (2002; 11,000 participants).

The Federation of Gay Games is the international governing body that perpetuates the quadrennial Gay Games and promotes the event's founding principles of Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best?. For more information, visit www.GayGames.org.

Chicago Games, Inc. is the host of Gay Games VII and is led by experienced civic leaders from Chicago's business, sports and non-profit sectors. For information about how to sponsor or participate in Gay Games VII in Chicago, visit www.GayGamesChicago.org, e-mail info@GayGamesChicago.org, or phone (773) 907-2006.

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"Gay Games", "Federation of Gay Games", the interlocking circles device, and the phrase
"Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best" are trademarks of the Federation of Gay Games, Inc.
Trademarks are registered in the USA, Canada, Benelux, the UK, and Australia.
Chicago Games, Inc ? 4753 N. Broadway, Suite 602, Chicago, IL 60640, USA
773.907.2006 ? GayGamesChicago.org? info@GayGamesChicago.org

Images of Chicago and the Gay Games VII logo are available for download at:
http://www.gaygameschicago.org/images/downloads/

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queerplanet is a sponsored partner of the Gay Games, Inc

http://www.gaygameschicago.org/sponsors/home.php

http://www.gaygameschicago.org/sports/sports.php'mgroup=Marathon.