HOLLAND: AMSTERDAM: GAY GAMES HELD IN EUROPE FOR FIRST TIME

(2 Aug 1998) English/Nat The celebrations are underway for this year's Gay Games, a carnival-like sporting event modelled very loosely on the Olympics. For the first time the games are not taking place in America or Canada, but in Europe's self-styled gay capital, Amsterdam. Thousands attended the opening ceremony on Saturday night. On Saturday night about 50-thousand gays and lesbians crowded into an Amsterdam football stadium for the opening ceremony. They cheered as the teams from various countries and cities marched in. The competition for the most outlandish and inventive outfits seems to have occupied the teams more than any sport will. The Gay Games were founded in 1982 in San Francisco as an alternative to the Olympics. Organisers said more than 2 hundred thousand visitors were in the Dutch capital for the fifth games, which are held every four years. Events will be held until August 8 and will bring together 15-thousand competitors - half as many as in the mainstream Olympics. And the events themselves are somewhat unorthodox. There will be medals for such "sports" as ballroom dancing and oil wrestling. The main event on Saturday night was a concert by Dana International. The Israeli transsexual pop star gained notoriety and angered orthodox leaders at home for winning May's Eurovision song contest. She said she loves performing for gay audiences. SOUNDBITE: (English) "As I told you the gay community know how to flatter an artist and they know how to treat artists with a lot of respect and I think many people should learn by them." SUPER CAPTION: Dana International, Singer UPSOUND: (English) "I have one question to ask you all: Are you free? Are you free? (Audience - Yeah) SUPER CAPTION: Dana International, singer By their enthusiastic response - the answer to Dana's question was YES. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...