On 31 August, Perth will play host to the inaugural Qeltic Games, a grassroots multi-sport event bringing together LGBTQI+ sports teams, athletes and allies from across the UK and Ireland.
Organised by LEAP Sports Scotland, we caught up with two of the organising team in advance of the event. Rebecca Bond is LEAP Sports Community Development Officer for Perthshire and Tayside. With the Qeltic Games taking place in her area this is a big part of her current remit.
We were also joined by Trustee, Terrence Teixeira, who joined the team at the end of last year. With events experience including the Glasgow and Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, and the Paralympic Games, he is playing a key role in supporting the Games.
LEAP Sports Scotland is Scotland’s LGBTQ plus sports charity, working to increase participation, champion inclusion and challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in sport.
Within the charity there is a lot of different activations, one of which is Team Scotland, which Rebecca is part of and has competed in various events. Outside the UK, there is the Euro Games, which is European focus, and the Gay Games, which is world focused, but in both cases the UK has never hosted.
The idea for the Qeltic Games was born out of the desire for an opportunity to bring together potential athletes as part of LGBTI Team Scotland, while also creating a bit of capacity for hosting events using the different sports and member clubs that make up LEAP Sports.
Rebecca said:
“Although the Queltic Games is on a much smaller scale in terms of the number of sports and athletes, we can build on that and show that there is the capacity and the ability to have something like the Euro Games in Scotland, which is the overall vision.”
The Games have five overall objectives:
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- Enhance the capacity and expertise of Scottish organisers to host events
- Foster the growth and development of relationships amongst clubs
- Amplify the visibility and awareness of queer sport within Perth and across the UK
- Deliver a meaningful and distinctive games experience for participants
- Champion grassroots participation in community sport
These objectives have been the lens through which all key planning and decisions have been made. They centre around a sense of community and amplifying the voice of queer sport and its participants.
The games will give host clubs the experience and confidence of hosting large events and competitions, and allow them network and learn from others. With some of the sports that are included it could be an opportunity to discuss or agree governance, or act as a springboard for cross-club collaboration.
Perth was selected as host as it is somewhere that LEAP have a lot of existing great partnerships, but it was also centrally located in Scotland, with great transport and ample accommodation options. By taking the Games out of Glasgow or Edinburgh, it also hopefully allows the event to stand alone as a main event in the city, where it could potentially get lost amongst the noise of the bigger cities. There has been great community support so far, with increasing visibility and awareness one of the key aims.
Rebecca said:
“I think this is going to be such a good thing for the area. I’ve never experienced any kind of homophobic issues as such, but I think we’re as a city, we’re quite behind Edinburgh, Glasgow, even Dundee, and I think this is going to really show how great and important inclusion is,
“With some of the great local clubs who are going to host, maybe we’ll see a bit of a drive in LGBT+ sport in the city itself.”
There will be six core sports; Rugby, Football, the 5K run, Badminton, Pickleball and Golf.
The event will take place on Saturday 31 August, except the golf competition which will happen in St Andrews earlier in the week, tying into the Women’s Open which is taking place there. Four of the sports – rugby, football, 5k run and badminton – will take place in close proximity to each other at the North Inch green space and neighbouring community campus.
Pickleball will take place at the Academy of Sport and Wellbeing, UHI Perth’s sporting complex. Having a core area with four sports taking place will provide a great spectator space and more of a festival vibe. The area will act as the nucleus and help create that distinctive and memorable opportunity for participants and their friends, families and spectators by having everything in one place. QUOTE??? This is what will set the event apart from single sport competitions and give the multi sport games feel and experience.
There will be a civic reception on the Friday night as well as an after-party. This will allow an opportunity for everyone to come together and celebrate what they’ve taken part in, regardless of where they’ve placed. That building of a community is one of the most important parts of the day.
There is lots of flexibility in how to participate and compete, with the option to enter as individuals or teams. They are hoping for around 1000 participants, who will be at the centre of the Games. They are determined to provide an experience and atmosphere that will be different than other competitions, consciously a multi-sport event.
Many of the individuals and clubs taking part will be community-based and can really showcase some of the great LGBTQ sport opportunities that exist across the UK. This can inspire others and show the integration and sense of community that can exist at a grassroots level.
For some of the bigger sports, like rugby, teams will be invited to compete through the IGR (International Gay Rugby), who will reach out to teams within each of the Home Nations, but invites will also be extended to local teams that are working towards inclusion. Being the host club, Perthshire RFC will enter a team.
For sports like badminton and pickleball there will be a doubles competition as well as the option to enter as an individual and be matched with a partner of a similar level, so there is the possibility of two people from different nations competing together.
The Games are being supported by a number of partners that are helping with the delivery of each sport, including the Girls in Golf Society, Perthshire Rugby, Perth Pickleball Club, Pickleball Scotland, Glenearn Badminton Club, Badminton Scotland and Football v Homophobia Scotland.
The Games will not be limited to individuals within the LGBTQ plus community, with allies also welcomed and celebrated. The aim is to create an inclusive and inspiring environment so everyone can feel that they can come and participate. Allies are particularly welcome in the team sports or doubles competitions, where they can play a really important role by joining their team, coming along, stepping up and showing that they stand with the LGBTQ plus community.
Terrence said:
“We’re trying to foster a platform where we’re creating environments where everyone feels welcome and respected and empowered to be their authentic selves, whether that’s within an LGBTQI specific club or whether that’s just within all these clubs that are helping us deliver the event,
“If the event can give these clubs the volunteers and resources for greater involvement with the community, then, that’s a great success, as well and more people signing up and participating in sport.”
The Games recently celebrated a key milestone with the launch of their own website and are now open for athlete and team registrations.
If you would like to support the Games but aren’t looking to compete, the event is also recruiting volunteers who will play a key role in delivery.
You can keep up to date with all the latest info on the event via Facebook, Instagram and X.
