Story at a glance
- A record number of openly LGBTQ+ athletes are set to participate in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
- With 141 athletes being members of the LGBTQ+ community, that doubles the 2016 count.
- Openly LGBTQ+ athletes in 2021 will represent at least 25 countries and compete across 26 sports.
A record number of openly LGBTQ+ athletes are set to participate in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
The record-setting 141 members of the LGBTQ+ community doubles the 2016 count and totals more openly LGBTQ+ athletes than all other Summer Olympics combined, according to Outsports. Twenty-three openly gay athletes attended the 2012 games, while 56 participated in 2016.
“Competing at the Olympics as an openly gay athlete is pretty amazing,” Canadian swimmer Markus Thormeyer told Outsports.
“Being able to compete with the best in the world as my most authentic self at the biggest international multi-sport games shows how far we’ve come on inclusion in sport. I’m hoping that by competing at these Games I can show the LGBTQ community that we do belong and we can achieve anything we put our minds to.”
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Openly LGBTQ+ athletes in 2021 will represent at least 25 countries and compete across 26 sports.
The U.S. leads the way with 30 openly LGBTQ+ athletes, followed by Canada and Britain, with 16 and 15 competitors respectively. The outlet maintains the athletes include those who have practiced with various teams or are traveling to Tokyo. Women competitors outnumber male athletes by an 8 to 1 margin.
Soccer will feature the most openly LGBTQ+ athletes, including U.S. Women’s National Team star Megan Rapinoe.
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The number of openly LGBTQ+ U.S. Olympians fell by one with the suspension of America’s fastest woman, Sha’Carri Richardson. Richardson tested positive for marijuana following her 100 meter victory at Olympic Trials in June and was automatically disqualified.
The delayed Tokyo Games are scheduled to begin July 23.
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