The regional body which licenses organsations to run the Outgames has confirmed that following the resignation of the Auckland Outgames board in July and abandonment of the February 2016 event a $20,000 seeding loan has not been returned. The Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association - Asia/Pacific, or GLISA-AP, says it has not received the money money back from Auckland Outgames 2016 Inc., “as it was not expected to be repaid until after the event.” “That money was a legacy from the previous three Outgames," says a spokesperson for GLISA. "Each Outgames to date has made a profit which then pays back its seed fund and contributes a per/participant amount back to GLISA-AP which furthers builds the fund to support the future Outgames. Unfortunately the legacy for Auckland was that it was not able to do this." GLISA says it has not yet fully considered options to recoup the money. Public and direct approaches by GayNZ.com Daily News to board members for comment since their en masse resignation became public knowledge in August have yet to bear fruit other than a prepared statement in which the board said it had lost confidence in the Auckland team's ability to deliver the Outgames in February, that its request to GLISA for a deferred date was turned down and that they were winding their organisation up.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News
First published: Monday, 26th October 2015 - 12:08am