Canada will get a little gayer and a little rougher come 2020 as the international gay rugby tournament will be hosted there.
It has recently been announced that the 2020 Bingham cup will take place in Canada, according to the Globe and Mail. The Bingham cup is an event that promotes equality and competition while also serving 70 teams from around the globe.
The event was founded in 2002 and named after former University of California, Berkeley rugby player Mark Dendall Bingham. Bingham later co-founded the Gotham Knights RFC before later dying during the 9/11 terrorist attack on United Airlines Flight 93.
Now, the Ottawa Wolves will take part in honoring his name and the sport of Rugby by hosting the 2020 event.
“This is a truly historic moment for both rugby and the inclusive sports movement in Canada,” said Jean-François Laberge, past captain of the Wolves and president of the Bingham Cup Ottawa 2020 bid committee. “Hosting the Bingham Cup reinforces that Canada is an open, inclusive and welcoming country.”
“The international gay rugby community is excited that the Bingham Cup will be held in Canada for the first time, a country with a growing rugby community and a proud reputation of openness towards the LGBT+ community,” Ben Own, the chair International Gay Rugby, said in a statement.
“Bringing the Bingham Cup to Canada is a major boost for the sport of rugby in this country,” Rugby Canada chairman Tim Powers said. “Rugby is truly an international game with the values of inclusiveness and respect at its core. It’s a sport that transcends issues of sexuality and gender and celebrates diversity.”
h/t: The Globe and Mail
