The long-planned sporting and cultural meeting known as the World OutGames, a 10-day LGBTQ-themed event advertised as a spectacular gathering of athletes from around the world, unraveled Friday about 24 hours before the opening ceremonies.
Organizers abruptly announced that the opening and closing ceremonies, along with nearly all of its sports events, were canceled due to financial issues. The shocking revelation came via a short message to participants from the event’s board of directors Friday.
“It is with deep regret that due to financial burdens, World OutGames must cancel its sports programming and Opening and Closing Ceremony with the exception of soccer, aquatics and country western dance,” reads the statement. “The Human Rights Conference and cultural programs will continue as planned. We thank everyone who has supported the effort and apologize to those who will be impacted by this difficult decision.”
