ITALY: Gay and transgenders compete in swimming contest in Rome Olympic pool

A first of a kind tournament for the luxurious Rome Olympic pool. An international swimming tournament for gay, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals took place in Rome Olympic swimming pool on Saturday (April 14). It is the first tournament of this kind to happen in Rome and it was organised by the regional sports agency and a sport gay group devoted to swimming, called Gruppo Pesce (Group Fish). Athletes from 10 different countries joined for the event, including Germany, Holland, France and United States. "In Holland we go to both competitions, straight and gay. There's more integration, because people like it', said Dutch swimmer Jan Van Der Meer. 'Maybe it's a little bit less serious, but that's why everybody has fun," he said. Several swimming competitions took place in the framework of the mosaics of the Olympic Roman pool built by Mussolini, showing athletes in Ancient Greek-style poses. Athletes enjoyed massages by the side of the pool in between the various competitions, while '70's music was played from speakers. The aim of the tournament is to send a message against homophobia and use the sport as a way to reaffirm homosexuals and transgenders' rights. The closing of the tournament was the debut of a Milan team called 'Syncdifferent', a male group performing synchronised swimming, a sport officially practised only by women. "There is a strong common place saying that synchronised swimming is stereotypically feminine', said Gianmario Felicetti, one of the swimmers of the team. 'But there is nothing physically preventing men from practising it," he said. Their hope is that male synchronised swimming will one day be introduced in official competitions.

ITN Source | April 21, 2007

Tags:. .fun. .enjoyed. .different. .several. .event