Ryan ATKIN

Ryan Atkin in August 2017 publicly came out as the first openly gay professional referee operating.
He operates within National League and EFL with his sights set on refereeing in the Premier League in the near future.
Since his announcement other officials have followed
in his footsteps around the world.
More information here.

Ophélie DAVID

Ophélie David is an accomplished skier with an impressive track record. After her debut at the Olympic Games in Lillehammer in 1994, she joined the French team in 2002 in ski cross and surpassed the world competition with many victories in the world championship in 2007, in the world cups (3 large crystal globes in 2006, 2008 and 2009 plus 7 small crystal globes) and the X Games (4 gold medals). She is the winner of the ski cross season in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. She also participates in the Olympic Games in Vancouver in 2010 and Sochi in 2014.

Sandra FORGUES

“Sport makes us to progress and to know better ourselves. It makes possible for a team to share, for a country to unify, for a planet to have peace. Victory shall be hold by those differences.”

Yoann LEMAIRE
Yoann LEMAIRE

Ambassador

I support the organization for Paris 2018-Gay Games 10 with great pleasure and am honored to become an ambassador. Sport is sometimes a factor of social exclusion. Since sport is at the image of human beings, capable of the best like the worst. Unfortunately, it is capable of generating violence, aggression and injustice that we don’t see, but many players are put aside of the game every weekend. I personally advocate for, that sport is a vector for social inclusion. Sport aims to arouse emotions. It helps to know ourselves better, to know the others and to accept their differences and also to build a social life. I think the organization and the mobilization of an event like the Gay Games, brings in a real intellectual journey on the acceptance of differences and openness to both, athletes and spectators. And like any other human activity, sport must refer to a number of common values. We must bear a reflection on the eye: favor the benevolent gaze, without judgment, without fear and look at people with respect and affection. The eyes of the others influence our perception that we have of ourselves, and it is difficult sometimes to be the center of the attention. Like the fact of being watched is intimidating, many people, rightly fear of the eyes of the others, fear of disappointing, fear of ridicule or shame. Let us challenge ourselves to move forward and to improve. A little more simplicity, kindness, humility, discernment and wisdom would do us the most good. In 2010, I participated in the Gay Games in Cologne. I discovered a festive atmosphere, brotherhood and solidarity. It was a pleasantly surprise to see the good level of the competition. And for proof! We made the trip to Germany with good intentions of winning. We had created a great football team, but eventually we lost all our games. The level was very good, athletic and strong. I am convinced that homosexuals can love and play football! This is obviously the case for other sports. Gay and straight people can play and win. together!  

Corinne MEADMORE

Corinne Meadmore (former name: LE MOAL), is a French Champion  of rowing. Here are her titles:

• participation at two Olympic Games, 1976 Montreal and 1992 Barcelona
• 3 participations at World Championships
• finalist in skiff in Amsterdam in 1977
• 19 times French champion in skiff and 4 couple

“As an Olympic rower, I have always loved the fraternity of the countries expressed by the athletes who find themselves around a passion or a sport in a spirit of peaceful fellowship. The difference is judged … on the finish line, without discrimination of age, physics, race, religion, education. At a time when the difference can turn to ostracism, harassment, and exclusion, I greet the GAY GAMES for their work. I encourage and support this event open to all in order to share and get to know each other better. And for that nothing is better than the sport! Good luck to all and lots of fun in the effort.”

John MUMBA

With a record of over fifty championship victories, John Mickael M’Bumba, 33, 1m85, participated in English boxing at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He is multiple French champion from 2007 to 2009, bronze medalist at the 2007 world championships in Chicago and 2009 in Milan and gold medalist at the 2006 European Union Championships in Pécs. He holds a 2nd level state diploma in sports education and is committed to transmitting and working for young people in his club: the Aubervilliers Boxing Beats. Open to others and attentive to the respect of difference, John is particularly attached to Olympic universalism.

Emmeline NDONGUE

Emmeline Ndongue-Jouanin is a French basketball player who has retired from basketball since 2014. With the French Team, she was Olympic vice-champion 2012 and European champion 2009.

Maguy NESTORET-ONTANON

Maguy Nestoret-Ontanon is a French athletics champion in 200m in 1993, 17 team selections from France and ex-commissioner on the fight against discrimination in sport at the Ministry of Sports. Thanks to these positions, she sat on the Institutional Monitoring Committee of Paris 2018 for a year.

Marinette PICHON

“Sport should be a lever against discrimination, to make evolve the consciousness with cultural and social diversity… I wish to move forward in the right way. This event should reunite us, together, LET’S GO!”

Gilles RONDY

Born on September 4, 1981 in Brest, Gilles Rondy is partnered and dad of 2 girls (5 and 8 years old). He did all his scholarship in sports and study section until obtaining his diploma of engineer. He then integrated EDF with a status of high-level sportsman, which allowed him to integrate the world of work while preparing the Olympic Games. Here are his charts: – European Champion on 25 kms in 2006 in Budapest and vice-champion in 2002 in Berlin – 4th of the world championships 2006 on 10 kms – 15th of the Olympic Games of Beijing on 10 kms – French Recordman of the English Channel crossing in 7h54. Nowadays Gilles Rondy still works by EDF in Martinique where he can enjoy swimming in the sea all year long.

Jean-Marie SIFRE

Jean-Marie Siffre is a former computer and communication manager of a large construction group. He is passionate about Handball. As a shareholder in Paris Handball, he took contact with Issy-Paris Hand in 2009 before being elected as a non-salaried president. His club won his first title by winning the League Cup in 2013. He sees other ambitions for the club: being in the last square of the French championship and taking part to the European Cup every year.