This challenge is continuing at the Games. At the Flamengo beach area, an LGBT rights groups has set up a Rio Pride House, modelled after Olympic venues hosted by countries for players to mingle, for gay athletes and their fans. The house has organised a lot of sports activities, games, lectures, talk shows, craft fairs and cultural events during the period of Games. But the house could not get any official help for their effort.
While the city officials say that they failed to offer any kind of support to the Pride House because those responsible for the initiative only contacted them as late as on July 1 this year and there was no time for any partnership. LGBT Brazil, which has set up the house, has refuted the claim, saying they negotiated with the city government as well as with the Organising Committee but in vain.
Though this Olympics features 44 LGBT athletes, a new record, they continue to face extra challenges. In a bizarre development this week, a reporter from Daily Beast used Grindr to meet some of the gay athletes from different countries. In a story, published on the site, the reporter “outed” several such athletes without their knowledge or permission. It’s only after the site came under attack on the social media for causing danger to the athletes’ professional and personal lives that the story was taken down on Monday.