Paris Olympics: 155+ LGBTQ Athletes Shine, Inspire Hope

Photo byOutsports.com

Some 25 countries will be represented by at least one out LGBTQ athlete in this summer’s Olympics in Paris. With 29, the United States will have the most out athletes competing, followed by Brazil with 22 and Australia with 17.

Outsports.com is in Paris, reporting on all of the action as part of Outsports’ ‘Team LGBTQ‘ coverage.

“This project means we not only get to celebrate extraordinary achievement but signpost athletes who can inspire courage in others, including the LGBTQ Olympians of future Games,” says Outsports’ associate editor, Jon Holmes.

We caught up with him and Outsports editor Cyd Zeigler as they were each preparing for the Games.

Why is it important to shine a spotlight on the LGBTQ out athletes competing in this summer’s Games?

Cyd Zeigler: For too long, the LGBTQ community as a whole has largely felt rejected by the sports world. Chatter in change rooms and on the pitch have driven gay men, particularly, away from sports. Elevating the visibility of these out athletes from dozens of countries helps end that feeling of exile for many LGBTQ people, and it gives hope to the athletes from countries where homosexuality is still criminalised.

Cyd Zeigler (l) and John Holms (r)Photo bySam Rees

Of the athletes on Team LGBTQ, who do you think has the best chance at medaling?

Jon: Team LGBTQ has a history of performing strongly – in Tokyo, 30% of all the out LGBTQ Olympians won a medal. Reigning Olympic champions include Irish boxer Kellie Harrington, Brazilian 10km swimmer Ana Marcela Cunha, and New Zealand rower Emma Twigg. Keep an eye on US BMX freestyle rider Hannah Roberts who’ll want to improve on silver last time out. Taekwondo is very unpredictable – Ireland’s Jack Woolley is ranked in the top 10 in the 58kg and is considered a medal contender.

How many of LGBTQ athletes have competed in previous games?

Cyd: From our count, 81 of the out athletes in Paris have competed in previous games. For (Tom) Daley, this is his fifth, and for (Carl) Hester, his seventh. Brazilian footballer Marta is also in her sixth, and final Olympics. And there are many from the Tokyo Olympics, including American shot putter Raven Saunders, New Zealand rower Emma Twigg and Australian footballer Teagan Micah.

Who are some the new LGBTQ athletes to look out for?

Cyd: All eyes in athletics will be on American Sha’Carri Richardson. She had qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but she was then banned after testing positive for marijuana. Now she’s back in the 100-meter dash and favored to win a medal, if not gold. Also, trans nonbinary distance runner Nikki Hiltz is making [their] Olympic debut. And while British swimmer Dan Jervis competed in Tokyo, Paris will be his first Olympics after coming out.

Photo byOutsports.com

The number of out athletes is down from Tokyo. Is that due to the new International Olympic Committee framework for transgender and intersex athletes?

Cyd: The bans of trans women competing in the female category may account for one, possibly two, fewer athletes. The removal of softball as a sport definitely had an impact. It was played in Tokyo, and will be in Los Angeles in four years, but Paris organisers removed it. Also, a couple teams like the Swedish women’s football team missing the cut hurt the numbers. There are many out athletes we simply haven’t found yet. Our list was at 144 a week ago, now it’s 155. As we hear from readers and athletes, we expect the list will continue to grow.

How can we best support the athletes on Team LGBTQ?

Cyd: These athletes depend on exposure to land sponsorship deals and other income. Many of them, despite taking the world stage for two weeks, struggle to pay rent and cover training expenses. Sharing their stories, or even tracking down their gofundme or other ways to financially support them, can help.

For more information and to follow the coverage, visit Outsports’ website and connect on social media using the hashtag #TeamLGBTQ.