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background data on Montreal gay games..

http://www.gayworld.com/content/stories/nov03/article_2003_11_10_1332.php

Negotiations Over Montreal Gay Games Break Down
Nov 10, 2003


(Chicago, IL) - Negotiations to end a dispute between the organizers of the 2006 Montreal Games and the Federation of Gay Games broke down Sunday leaving the possibility of two competing games in two separate cities.

The two sides have been at odds over funding and the size of the games for weeks. They agreed to meet in Chicago in advance of the Federation's annual meeting, to begin today.

"It remains unacceptable that the FGG still wants to impose unbelievable financial controls while they have no responsibilities on gathering the money," Montréal 2006 said in a statement.

The Montreal committee has planned what are claimed to be the most ambitious games yet, but to carry it off Montreal wants to attract 24,000 athletes. The FGG wants only about half that. In addition the FGG has ordered Montreal to cut its proposed budget to what it sees as a more realistic and manageable amount.

"We deeply regret that Montréal 2006 made the decision to walk away from these negotiations which were planned with the best interests of future Gay Games participants in mind," said Federation of Gay Games co-president Roberto Mantaci.

"The Federation made multiple concessions to Montréal 2006, and we are confident that we tried everything we could to reach an agreement with them while remaining true to our stated obligation towards safeguarding the fiscal responsibility by Gay Games hosts.

"Despite Montréal 2006's unilateral action, the Federation reaffirms our commitment to the continuation of future Gay Games," Mantaci said in a statement.

Today, the FGG will have to decide whether to remove its official sanctioning for the Montreal Games. If that occurs, it will then need to find an alternate city to host the games. Among the possibilities is Atlanta.

Montréal 2006 says whatever the FGG does it is prepared to go forward with its own games.

The governments of Montreal, Quebec, and Canada have pledged over $5 million in grants and services to the games. In addition, the Montreal committee has sold television rights to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for live coverage of events, the first time the games will be televised live.

On top of that, Montréal 2006 is confident, based on preliminary numbers, it will attract the 24,000 participants needed to be a financial success.

Participating athletes pay a $200 registration fee to compete.

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