▁and ▁the ▁ownership ▁was ▁divided ▁equally ▁between ▁A as heim , ▁Nelson ▁and ▁But ter . ▁Both ▁M err iman ▁and ▁R uda ▁stayed ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁competition ▁as ▁Direct ors ▁responsible ▁for ▁finding ▁deleg ates ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁Africa ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁compet itions . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁while ▁Nelson ▁left ▁the ▁competition ▁and ▁left ▁his ▁shares ▁of ▁Mr ▁Gay ▁World ▁to ▁Eric ▁But ter , ▁and ▁later ▁Eric ▁But ter ▁and ▁T ore ▁A as heim ▁ex changed ▁their ▁shares ▁in ▁Mr ▁Gay ▁Europe ▁and ▁Mr ▁Gay ▁World ▁respectively , ▁making ▁Eric ▁But ter ▁the ▁sole ▁owner ▁of ▁Mr ▁Gay ▁World ▁and ▁T ore ▁A as heim ▁the ▁sole ▁owner ▁of ▁Mr ▁Gay ▁Europe . ▁ ▁Mission ▁statement ▁Mr . ▁Gay ▁World ▁is ▁defined ▁as ▁an ▁annual ▁contest ▁for ▁gay ▁men , ▁seeking ▁to ▁establish ▁amb ass adors ▁for ▁L GB T ▁and ▁human ▁rights , ▁with ▁w inners ▁of ▁national ▁cont ests ▁compet ing ▁as ▁deleg ates ▁in ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁categories . ▁It ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁beauty ▁contest ▁and ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁age ▁limit . ▁This ▁competition ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁public ised ▁gay ▁cont ests ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁and ▁un ash amed ly ▁uses ▁the ▁attention ▁it ▁g arn ers ▁to ▁focus ▁attention ▁on ▁the ▁pl ight ▁of ▁L GB TI ▁people ▁world wide . ▁The ▁primary ▁purpose ▁of ▁Mr . ▁Gay ▁World ▁is ▁to ▁identify ▁leaders ▁who ▁will ▁take ▁responsibility ▁of ▁being ▁a ▁sp ok esp erson ▁not ▁only ▁in ▁his ▁own ▁community ▁but ▁on ▁a