Ireland’s first LGBTQ+ basketball club, Shamrock Sióga, 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.
Shamrock Sióga’s FLINTA team, coached by Tatiana O’Brien 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.
Joining the FLINTA team in representing Shamrock Sióga at the EuroGames were the mixed and men’s teams, competing in the respective basketball categories.
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–including Olympic and Paralympic medalists–competed 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.
“Being yourself is very important to perform well. I’m not saying that you absolutely have to come out, but if you feel oppressed by this situation, you’ll have a hard time performing. Having an event like the EuroGames helps remove these barriers,” said EuroGames ambassador and Olympic gold medalist from France, Jeremy Stravius, as reported by OutSports.
Based in Dublin, Shamrock Sióga recently celebrated its one-year anniversary in May 2025 and doesn’t 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.
For anyone interested in joining Shamrock Sióga during the upcoming season (beginning in September), training sessions are held at DCU’s St. Patrick’s Campus. Further information and updates can be found on Instagram via @shamrocksioga.
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