Ireland\u2019s first LGBTQ+ basketball club, Shamrock Si\u00f3ga, competed at the 2025 EuroGames in Lyon, France, from July 24 to 25. They sent three teams to the tournament, and its FLINTA (female, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, trans, and agender) athletes took home a silver medal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shamrock Si\u00f3ga\u2019s FLINTA team, coached by Tatiana O\u2019Brien Santos, placed first in its pool before advancing to the final game against the Spanish team Panteres Grogues 2. The Irish squad ultimately fell 23-20 to the former in a close-fought match-up.<\/p>\n
Joining the FLINTA team in representing Shamrock Si\u00f3ga at the EuroGames were the mixed and men\u2019s teams, competing in the respective basketball categories.<\/p>\n
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The EuroGames were created to celebrate diversity in sports on a global scale, specifically regarding uplifting queer and trans athletes. Over 5,500 LGBTQ+ athletes\u2013including Olympic and Paralympic medalists\u2013competed at the 22nd edition of the tournament in July across sports such as badminton, basketball and soccer. The games drew teams from France, Germany, the UK, and beyond, including over 100 Irish athletes.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing yourself is very important to perform well. I\u2019m not saying that you absolutely have to come out, but if you feel oppressed by this situation, you\u2019ll have a hard time performing. Having an event like the EuroGames helps remove these barriers,\u201d said EuroGames<\/a> ambassador and Olympic gold medalist from France, Jeremy Stravius, as reported by OutSports.\u00a0<\/p>\n Based in Dublin, Shamrock Si\u00f3ga recently celebrated its one-year anniversary in May 2025 and doesn\u2019t plan to slow down anytime soon. The club will send a 3v3 squad to Oslo in September for a tournament organised by Queer Street Basketball in addition to preparing for the upcoming Gay Games in Valencia in summer 2026.<\/p>\n For anyone interested in joining Shamrock Si\u00f3ga<\/a> during the upcoming season (beginning in September), training sessions are held at DCU\u2019s St. Patrick\u2019s Campus. Further information and updates can be found on Instagram via @shamrocksioga.<\/p>\n \u00a9 2025 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.<\/p>\n Support GCN<\/p>\n GCN is a free, vital resource for Ireland\u2019s LGBTQ+ community since 1988.<\/p>\n GCN is a trading name of National LGBT Federation CLG, a registered charity – Charity Number: 20034580<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n GCN relies on the generous support of the community and allies to sustain the crucial work that we do. Producing GCN is costly, and, in an industry which has been hugely impacted by rising costs, we need your support to help sustain and grow this vital resource.<\/p>\n