Ottawa Wolves awarded 2020 Bingham Cup

The Ottawa Wolves RFC are the first Canadian inclusive rugby club to host the Bingham Cup and follow other inclusive rugby clubs that have successfully held the biennial tournament, located in cities such as London, United Kingdom; New York, U.S.A; Dublin, Ireland; Sydney, Australia; and Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The Bingham Cup is an international gay rugby union tournament that promotes inclusivity, equality and competition. Seventy rugby teams from five continents are expected to participate in the 2020 Bingham Cup.

“Having the oppurtinity to host the Bingham Cup in Ottawa is an honnour for our City,” said Mayor Jim Watson, who was on hand for the announcement. “This event will bring excitement, spirit of competition and economic benefits to Ottawa, and allow our residents to enjoy world-class rugby matches.”

Administered by International Gay Rugby (IGR), the Bingham Cup is named in memory of Mark Kendall Bingham, a former University of California, Berkeley rugby star and cofounder of the Gotham Knights RFC, a gay-inclusive rugby club in New York City. Mark Kendall Bingham lost his life in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks onboard United Airlines Flight 93.

“The international gay rugby community is excited that the Bingham Cup will be held in Canada for first time – a country with a growing rugby community and a proudreputation of openness towards the LGBT+ community,” said Ben Owen, IGR Chair.

First held in 2002, the Bingham Cup is today the largest international amateur rugby union tournament in the world. The 2018 tournament hosted by the Amsterdam Lowlanders RFC had more than 2,300 registered participants from 63 countries. The 2020 tournament in Ottawa will include week-long cultural, educational and sporting events and is forecast to generate economic activity in excess of $8.5 million. The 2020 tournament will also be carbon-neutral, feature a wheelchair rugby exhibition game and celebrate Indigenous culture.
“The Bingham Cup promotes the values of inclusivity and equality regardless of sexual orientation, and those are values that Canadians support wholeheartedly,” said TheHonourable Catherine McKenna, federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Member of Parliament for the riding of Ottawa Centre.

One of only three gay-inclusive rugby clubs in Canada, the Ottawa Wolves RFC was engaged in an extensive bidding process to win the rights to host the 2020 BinghamCup in the nation’s capital. Other gay-inclusive rugby clubs in Canada include the Montreal Armada RFC and the Toronto Muddy York RFC.

“This is a truly historic moment for both rugby and the inclusive sports movement in Canada,” said Jean-François Laberge, past Captain of the Ottawa Wolves RFC and President of the Bingham Cup Ottawa 2020 Bid Committee. “Hosting the Bingham Cup reinforces that Canada is an open, inclusive and welcoming country.”

The Ottawa Wolves RFC was founded in 2008. The club competes in the regular Division 1 Eastern Ontario Rugby League and has competed in tournaments locally, nationally and internationally, including every Bingham Cup since 2010. The Ottawa Wolves RFC is part of IGR, a member of the Federation of Gay Games and recognized by World Rugby as their lead LGBT organization.

“Bringing the Bingham Cup to Canada is a major boost for the sport of rugby in this country,” said Tim Powers, Chairman of Rugby Canada. “Rugby is truly an internationalgame with the values of inclusiveness and respect at its core. It’s a sport that transcends issues of sexuality and gender and celebrates diversity.”

Other dignitaries who attended the announcement of the 2020 Bingham Cup coming to Ottawa included Jacques Frémont, President of the University of Ottawa; Darrel Cox, Manager, Sport and Culture, Tourism Ottawa; Ian Faris, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ottawa Board of Trade; and representatives from numerous Ontario and Quebec rugby clubs.

Media Inquiries:

Jean-François Laberge
President
Ottawa Wolves RFC’s Bingham Cup Ottawa 2020 Bid CommitteePhone:613-236-9442
Email: jlaberge@lrmlawyers.com