2010 Olympics Will Have First Gay House

(From The New York Times)
"WHISTLER, British Columbia — Dean Nelson has a vivid imagination. He can stand in a 920-square-foot hotel conference room, set up for a business meeting in mid-July, and see a sometimes-smoldering, sometimes-pulsating party club there by February.

He can see a giant rainbow flag hanging outside and a line to the door. Mostly, though, Nelson can see a comfortable, inclusive hangout for gays, perhaps some of the hundreds of athletes at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics who will be competing in and around this bustling ski town. And he can see it making a statement to everyone outside of Pride House.

“We anticipate Pride House is going to rock the Olympics,” Nelson said.

Every Olympics includes temporary, carefully designed places for athletes and officials from various countries to socialize — a U.S.A. House, a Canadian Pavilion, a Russia House and so on. Holland House, sponsored by Heineken, is often the biggest and boldest.

Pride House is believed to be the first such house for gay and lesbian athletes and their friends and families."

Read the full story here.

Olympic Hopeful Funds Quest for Gold by Opening Brothel

What won't those wacky breeders come up with next.

(From The Huffington Post and AP)

"WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - A New Zealand taekwondo athlete has opened a brothel to help fund his bid to compete at the 2012 London Olympics, local media reported Sunday.

Logan Campbell, 23, told the Sunday Star-Times newspaper he hoped his Auckland 'gentleman's club,' which provided escort services, would help him raise about $200,000 toward his London Games campaign.

Campbell, who finished in the top 16 in the featherweight division at last year's Beijing Olympics, said he spent around $90,000 competing in international events leading up to the games.

Most of the money had been provided by his parents, he said. His father, Max, an auctioneer, had worked two jobs to support his son's Olympic quest.

Campbell told the newspaper his desire to avoid being a burden on his parents led him to open the brothel with business partner Hugo Phillips, 20. He said he had introduced several of his female employees to his mother who 'realized they were just normal people supporting kids and stuff.'

Taekwondo New Zealand funding manager John Schofield said the governing body of the sport in the country would have to consider whether Campbell was suitable for international selection.

'Selection takes into account not just performance but also the athlete's ability to serve as an example to the youth of the country,' Schofield said."