Event Schedule: Bingham Cup Ottawa 2022

Bingham Cup Ottawa 2022 Event Schedule - https://www.binghamcup.com/events

About Bingham Cup Ottawa 2022

The Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament, or Bingham Cup as it is more widely known, is the biennial world championships of gay and inclusive rugby.

The tournament was first held in 2002 in memory of 9/11 gay rugby hero Mark Bingham, one of the passengers who fought back against hijackers on board United Flight 93. While Mark and all on the flight tragically lost their lives when the plane crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, it is widely recognized that through the actions of those brave individuals on board, the plane did not continue to its intended target.

As a gay man and regular rugby player, Mark played for San Francisco Fog and helped set up Gotham Knights in New York City. The Bingham Cup is held in Mark’s memory and challenges stereotypes and perceptions of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Mark’s legacy sees rugby players, supporters and staff from around the world come together every two years in a celebration of equality, inclusivity and sportsmanship.

From its modest debut in 2002, the 2018 edition of the Bingham Cup in Amsterdam gathered 74 teams from 20 countries. The Bingham Cup has become the largest amateur rugby union tournament in the world. Administered by International Gay Rugby (IGR), the Bingham Cup hosting duties are awarded through a bidding process among the members of IGR. Nine cities have hosted the Bingham Cup since its inception.

The 2020 edition of the Bingham Cup, originally scheduled to take place in August 2020 was postponed due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Bingham Cup 2022 will be celebrating the 10th edition and is expected to be one of the largest 15-a-side rugby tournaments in the world!

International Gay Rugby (IGR)

International Gay Rugby (IGR) was formed in 2000 when rugby teams from across the world came together because they wanted to form an organization that promoted rugby as an all-inclusive, non-discriminatory sport which everyone can play, regardless of sexuality. Formally known as the International Gay Rugby Association and Board (IGRAB), the formation of the IGR led to the start of the Bingham Cup in 2002, which was originally known as the Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament.

Teams currently part of IGR: https://igrugby.org/find-a-club/

Bingham Cup Initiatives

Inclusivity and Social Development Initiative - The Bingham Cup Ottawa 2022 will be the most inclusive edition of the tournament to date. The event will host the Moving the Goal Post International Summit, assembling the top legal and sport-research minds to tackle transphobia and homophobia in sport. It will also host the first ever wheelchair rugby exhibition match with many members from the national program. The tournament will feature unified and mixed ability rugby scrimmages at half time on the finals’ day and facilitate livestreaming of the finals through its partnership with Rogers Community TV.

Green Initiative - Bingham Cup Ottawa 2022 strives to be a carbon neutral tournament through various green initiatives. To begin, all participants will receive an aluminum water bottle they can refill at nearby stations during the tournament, thereby eliminating the presence of single-use plastic bottles.

To help offset the carbon footprint of each participant, the Bingham Cup Ottawa 2022 will purchase and plant trees across the province of Ontario. This will help reduce greenhouse gases for generation to come. Finally, all transportation to the tournament site and other event venues will be via Ottawa’s new environmentally friendly light rail transit system, or on foot, further reducing the tournament’s carbon footprint.

Legacy - Bingham Cup Ottawa 2022 has partnered with the City of Ottawa and has plans for a capital improvement project to develop and upgrade a soccer pitch in the east end of the city, benefitting the whole of the local sporting community. A dedication ceremony is planned during the tournament to celebrate the commencement of this project and officially naming the Mark Bingham Field at Ken Steele Park.

For even more information about Bingham Cup Ottawa 2022, visit their website at www.binghamcup.com