Record Number of LGBTQ+ Athletes to Compete in 2026 Winter Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan will make history with at least 50 publicly out LGBTQ+ athletes participating. This marks a new record for the Winter Games, showcasing a significant increase in representation and visibility of LGBTQ+ individuals in sports.

Among the out athletes, eight are American, comprising about 3% of Team USA. These include seven women and one man, speedskater Conor McDermott-Mostowy. Notably, Amber Glenn, a strong contender for a figure skating medal, will be the first openly out LGBTQ+ woman to compete in figure skating at the Olympics.

Elis Lundholm from Sweden will also make history as the first openly trans athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics, participating in mogul skiing.

The overall representation includes 39 women and 11 men, reflecting a 3-1 ratio, which contrasts with the 9-1 ratio observed during the Summer Games. The smaller number of winter sports, particularly team sports where women tend to be more openly out, accounts for this difference. Ice hockey leads with 23 out women athletes, making it the sport with the most LGBTQ+ representation.

The milestone of 50 out athletes was reached following the discovery of Polish bobsledder Linda Weiszewski, whose partner shared a photo of them together at the Olympic rings on social media.

Figure skating is the only major sport where out male athletes outnumber women, with at least six men and one woman competing in Milan. Other sports featuring out athletes include skiing (alpine and freestyle), speedskating, skeleton, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, curling, biathlon, bobsled, and short track speedskating.

Currently, 15 countries are represented by LGBTQ+ athletes in the upcoming Winter Games. The trend of increasing visibility among out athletes continues, with previous Winter Olympics featuring 36 in 2022, 15 in 2018, and 7 in 2014, demonstrating a significant growth over the past decade.

Visibility and the ability to be one's true self are key motivations for many of these athletes. Amber Glenn expressed that coming out allowed her to overcome personal challenges and fully express herself in her sport.

Conor McDermott-Mostowy, who previously kept his identity more private, felt motivated to openly embrace his identity to challenge stereotypes about gay athletes. His recent success at the Olympic trials after overcoming past challenges has made his journey all the more inspiring.

French figure skater Kevin Aymoz also found healing through publicly coming out, noting that it helped him and could potentially help others.

It is anticipated that the final number of out athletes at the Milan Olympics will grow as more athletes come forward. Many women athletes are already out on social media, and language barriers sometimes hinder immediate recognition of out athletes. Efforts are being made to identify and include all out athletes, with athletes themselves often reaching out to be included.

For example, Belgian short track speedskater Tineke den Dulk reached out to confirm her status as an out athlete, reflecting a growing trend of athletes openly claiming their identities.

As visibility increases, athletes continue to break barriers and inspire others by being open about their identities. The upcoming Winter Olympics will not only be a testament to athletic excellence but also a celebration of diversity and inclusion in sports.

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