Players from Australia’s gay and inclusive rugby clubs have headed overseas to Ottawa, Canada for this year’s Bingham Cup.
Known as the World Cup of gay rugby, the biennial Bingham Cup is the world’s largest amateur rugby tournament, with players from 20 countries.
The 10th biennial tournament is the first time the event has been on since 2018. Ottawa was originally host city for 2020, but organisers postponed the tournament as a result of the pandemic.
At last, host club the Ottawa Wolves as well as gay and inclusive Canadian teams from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver will welcome 148 other teams from 83 clubs from all over the world.
The Bingham Cup kicked off at the weekend, with the rugby beginning on Thursday (August 18). The Grand Final decider is on August 21.
Players from gay and inclusive rugby clubs the Brisbane Hustlers, the Sydney Convicts, the Melbourne Chargers, the Perth Rams as well as our newest team the Adelaide University Sharks flew to Canada for the event.
The clubs have fundraised all year for their 2022 Bingham Cup campaigns. Ahead the tournament, players from the Australian clubs showed off their Bingham Cup 2022 kits on social media.
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Bingham Cup started in 2002 named after gay rugby hero
The Bingham Cup is named for gay rugby hero Mark Bingham, who played for the San Francisco Fog and perished in the 9/11 terror attacks.
On 9/11, Bingham and three other men fought back against the terrorists who had hijacked their United Airlines flight. The men stormed the cockpit, forcing the plane down in a Pennsylvania field, killing all 44 on board but saving countless other lives.
The next year, the Bingham Cup started in Mark’s memory, bringing teams and clubs together every two years in a celebration of equality, inclusivity and sportsmanship.
Moreover, every other year the four Australian gay rugby clubs and the New Zealand Falcons compete back home in their biennial Purchas Cup tournament.
For the latest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Well done everyone. There is a 5th team traveling as well, the Adelaide Uni Sharks. A small but mighty contingent
Best of luck everyone – in Australia rugby is our religion and the one true religion of love within our DNA. ✔️✔️✔️