There will be more out queer athletes at the Milano Cortina Olympics than have ever competed at the Winter Games before.
The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics feature a record-setting number of at least 47 openly LGBTQ+ athletes, showcasing increased queer representation in winter sports.
Highlighted Queer Athletes & Teams at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Amber Glenn (USA - Figure Skating): Makes history as the first openly queer woman to compete in Olympic figure skating.
Elis Lundholm (Sweden - Freestyle Skiing): Expected to make history as the first openly trans athlete in a Winter Olympic event.
Team USA LGBTQ+ Athletes (8+ total): Includes Amber Glenn (Figure Skating), Conor McDermott-Mostowy (Speed Skating), Hilary Knight, Alex Carpenter, and Cayla Barnes (Hockey), and Breezy Johnson (Skiing).
Figure Skating (Team LGBTQ): Guillaume Cizeron (France), Kevin Aymoz (France), Paul Poirier (Canada), and Lewis Gibson (Great Britain) are competing, with many focusing on the team event.
Hockey & Other Sports: Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey (Canada hockey), Kim Meylemans and Nicole Silveira (Skeleton), and Bruce Mouat (Curling, GB).
The 2026 Games demonstrate a significant increase in visibility for LGBTQ+ athletes in winter sports, following record participation in recent,previous Games.
