Brussels Gay Sports

Brussels Gay Sports (BGS) is a Brussels-based multi-sport umbrella organization for LGBTIQ+ sport and cultural activities. It began in 1991 as a group of friends who played volleyball together, and has since grown into an association of more than 750 members. BGS is registered as a non-profit association (asbl) in Belgium, with its secretariat at Rue du Marché au Charbon 42, B-1000 Bruxelles. The organization's stated core values are conviviality, diversity, inclusion and open-mindedness. Its mission is the personal fulfilment and social integration of the LGBTQI+ community through sport, cultural and leisure activities, conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and harmony. BGS emphasizes a welcoming and friendly setting where the pleasure of being together, sharing and meeting each other takes precedence over the competitive and sometimes exclusive nature of sport. It is open to everyone and aims to present a different image of the LGBTQI+ community in the sporting domain, where there is still a need for greater recognition and diversity. BGS offers a broad range of weekly activities around Brussels, including artistic swimming, badminton, body conditioning, choir, futsal, hiking & biking, hockey, massage, pilates, queer moves, queer tango, running, squash, swimming, tennis, theater improvisation, triathlon, volleyball, water polo, winter sports and yoga. The success of the organization is measured by the hundreds of people who participate in one or more of these weekly activities in a welcoming and tolerant atmosphere. Beyond weekly activities, BGS promotes sport by organizing and participating in competitions and large-scale events. Its annual multi-sports tournament, the Brussels Games, takes place every second weekend of September and draws around 550 participants, both male and female. Its annual sponsored swimming marathon, Swim for Life, is held on the last Sunday of November and raises funds for HIV/AIDS-related causes selected each year by a committee; since the beginning, almost €500,000 has been raised and distributed to selected charities. BGS volleyball teams participate in competitions organized by the Brabant AIF, and its swimmers compete in the Belgian Master Championship. Internationally, BGS participates in tournaments organized by other gay and lesbian sport clubs in Europe and elsewhere in the world. As a community-oriented non-profit, BGS operates through volunteer involvement and partnerships, and maintains an online presence on Facebook and Instagram. Its activities and events are conducted in French, Dutch and English, reflecting its Brussels setting and its commitment to inclusion.

Brussels Gay Sports (BGS) started in 1991 as a group of friends who played volleyball together. From that small beginning, it grew into an association of more than 750 members. The organization was established as a non-profit association (asbl) in Belgium, with its secretariat at Rue du Marché au Charbon 42, B-1000 Bruxelles. Over the years, BGS expanded its offer beyond volleyball to a wide range of sports and cultural activities. Its current activities include artistic swimming, badminton, body conditioning, choir, futsal, hiking & biking, hockey, massage, pilates, queer moves, queer tango, running, squash, swimming, tennis, theater improvisation, triathlon, volleyball, water polo, winter sports and yoga. In September 2013, BGS added a new activity: a massage course. The organization also has a choir. BGS promotes sport by organizing and participating in competitions and large-scale events. Its annual multi-sports tournament, the Brussels Games, is held every second weekend of September and brings together around 550 participants, both male and female. Its annual sponsored swimming marathon, Swim for Life, takes place on the last Sunday of November and raises funds for HIV/AIDS-related causes selected each year by a committee; since the beginning, almost €500,000 has been raised and distributed to selected charities. BGS volleyball teams participate in competitions organized by the Brabant AIF, and its swimmers compete in the Belgian Master Championship. Internationally, BGS participates in tournaments organized by other gay and lesbian sport clubs in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The success of the organization is measured by the hundreds of people who participate in one or more of its weekly activities around Brussels in a welcoming and tolerant atmosphere. BGS is open to everyone and aims to present a different image of the LGBTQI+ community in the sporting domain, where there is still a need for greater recognition and diversity. Its core values are conviviality, diversity, inclusion and open-mindedness, and its mission is the personal fulfilment and social integration of the LGBTQI+ community through sport, cultural and leisure activities, conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and harmony.

• 2013

  In September 2013, BGS adds a new activity: a massage course.

• 1991

  BGS starts as a group of friends who played volleyball together.

A welcoming, inclusive multi-sport and cultural community for the LGBTQI+ community in Brussels, prioritizing conviviality and social integration over competition.

• Brussels Games

  Annual multi-sports tournament held every second weekend of September, with around 550 participants, both male and female.

• Swim for Life

  Annual sponsored swimming marathon held on the last Sunday of November, raising funds for HIV/AIDS-related causes; almost €500,000 raised since the beginning.

1. 1Home - BGSbgs.org
2. 2About us - BGSbgs.org
3. 3Brussels Gay Sports - Wikidatawikidata.org