Record number of LGBTQ+ athletes to appear at Winter Olympics

A record number of LGBTQ+ people will compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics. (canvas)

This year, a record number of out LGBTQ+ athletes will be competing in the Milan Winter Olympics, which are fast approaching.

The next international multi-sport event, scheduled to kick off on Friday (February 6), will make history with a roster of at least 41 LGBTQ+ athletes representing 13 countries across nine events.

These include competitors representing the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.

Women’s ice hockey has the most LGBTQ+ players of any other sport, with at least 22 queer women expected to compete. Other events include snowboarding, alpine skating, curling, figure skating, speed skating, and more.

LGBTQ+ Sports Media Brand out sports announced its record-setting roster as part of its “Team LGBTQ+” campaign highlighting representation at both the Summer and Winter Olympics.

The number of delegates continues to grow with each event, the report said. At least 36 LGBTQ+ athletes competed at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, compared to just 15 at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

The Paris 2024 Summer Games currently holds the record for the most gay athletes in an Olympic sport, with 199 LGBTQ+ members on Team LGBTQ+.

Sid Zeigler, co-founder of OutSport, said the language on display this year signals a “major shift” in many sports categories that have historically discriminated against LGBTQ+ competitors.

“These numbers are a testament to the courage of so many athletes and reflect a major shift in acceptance in the sport,” Zeigler said. “As we say at Outsport, courage is contagious.”

Trans man becomes first transgender athlete at Winter Olympics

This year’s Games will also be the first Winter Olympics to feature transgender athlete Swedish freestyle skier Elise Lundholm.

Lundholm, who is transgender, joined the Swedish team following the announcement in January. This will be his first time participating in the Olympics.

The 23-year-old will compete in the women’s freestyle ski tournament. He has finished in the top 25 in mogul skiing (a type of freestyle skiing on rough terrain) at the World Cup three times, according to . Out sports.

Her participation comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced its intention to ban trans women from competing in all women’s events.

Olympic officials began considering a ban after the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee passed a trans-exclusive policy in July 2025 in line with President Donald Trump’s executive order.

Officials argued that the policy would ensure women’s sports remained “fair and safe”, despite there being no concrete evidence that trans-inclusion affects the fairness or safety of the women’s category.

New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard became the first trans female Olympian after competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The 2026 Milan Winter Olympics begins on Friday, February 6th and ends on February 22nd.

Share your story! Do you have an important, exciting or uplifting story to tell? Email us at [email protected]