Anti-LGBTIQ+ countries face potential ban from staging Commonwealth Games

Countries with anti-LGBTIQ+ laws could be prevented from staging the Commonwealth Games, according to organisers. Four years ago in the Gold Coast diving gold medallist Tom Daley used his platform to strongly condemn anti-gay laws in 37 Commonwealth countries. Ad/> Since then that number has become 36 — painfully slow progress — and exactly half of the nations and territories expected to compete at next week's Games in Birmingham.

Diving'I was furious' — Daley hits out at FINA transgender ban27/06/2022 AT 08:43 «It's something that we would certainly look at in the bidding process,» said Commonwealth Games Federation president Dame Louise Martin. «Hopefully, if that ever happened, we would be able to work with such countries to change their ideas. It would be difficult, I know, but there's always a first time for everything.

We'll keep working. »The athletes have a voice, and it encourages the other ones who are frightened to say anything. They can see that yes, you can speak out and be accepted.

That's what it's about. «We have to showcase it and we will be showcasing it as well. We're setting the scene, we're forward thinking and hopefully everyone will follow us.» Speaking in 2018, Olympic champion Daley said: «There are 37 countries where it's illegal to be who I am out of all the Commonwealth so hopefully we can reduce that number between now and then.» The fact only one country has changed their approach since then shows the work that needs to be done, with 12 competing nations in Birmingham still punishing the LGBTIQ+ community with imprisonment, with one, Brunei, including the death penalty in a range of legislation.