ANTWERP, March 24, 2006  –  The European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF) has named Antwerp as the city that will host the eleventh edition of the EuroGames to be staged next year.

Antwerp won by unanimous vote at the EGLSF annual meeting in Budapest earlier this month.

It will be the first time that EuroGames has been held in Belgium.

Three thousand sportsmen and women will take place in this gay sports event which will be held from July 12 to 15, 2007.

Competitions will be staged in various disciplines and categories including volleyball, football, ballroom dancing, swimming, badminton, wrestling, hockey and bowling.

The opening and closing ceremony of the EuroGames will be held in the historic Grote Markt Square.  Within walking distance, on the Groenplaats Square, will be the EuroGames village with information booths.  In addition to the sports events several cultural events will be held, including a film festival, theatre performances, exhibitions.

Another ‘first’ will be the official EuroGames song, which will be published for the first time.  Kate Ryan, ambassador for the EuroGames Antwerp 2007 and also Belgium’s entry for the coming Eurovision Song Festival in Athens, will sing the song.

More details of the event will be unveiled next week in Antwerp at the formal press launch of EuroGames 2007.

■ EGLSF has named Barcelona as host for the 2008 EuroGames