Vienna hosting
EuroGames 2024 had its kick-off presentation and promotion event as a part of Vienna Pride programs on June 9, 2023 at the Vienna City Hall, with councilor Thomas Weber, from EuroGames Vienna team Ulrike Lunacek and Gerhard Marchl, president of organization. [3] In line with the motto "Embrace Diversity", [4] the EuroGames Vienna 2024 celebrated the diversity of participants and sports alike. The event challenged and aspired to overcame traditional gender-binary and hetero-normative structures in sport event organizing. [5]
"Vienna is a cosmopolitan and diverse city and, as the rainbow capital, also sets international standards in the area of LGBTIQ equality. As the city councilor responsible for the LGBTIQ community, I am delighted that the topic of sport is thus increasingly finding its way into the Viennese community and hopefully many queer people in Vienna will be able to overcome their fear of contact with sports clubs or even unpleasant experiences in their youth," stated Christoph Wiederkehr, Vienna Deputy Mayor. [6]
EuroGames were held from July 17 to 20, 2024, with the opening and closing ceremonies at EuroGames Village at Karlsplatz, in the historic core of Vienna. The opening show featured Conchita Wurst, while Clara Luzia performed at the closing ceremony. [7] [8]
The program included 31 sports, featuring most favored badminton, soccer, swimming, tennis, and volleyball. [9] Additionally, recreational activities and new sports made their EuroGames debut, including roller derby, table football, roundnet, racketlon, darts, and padel. [10] [11] [12] Events were spread across 33 venues across Vienna. [13]
On the EuroGames opening day sports conference named "Out in Sport - How Sport can Unite and not Divide" included many prominent Austrian and few international speakers and was broadcast by national television ORF. [14]
