Record Number of Openly LGBTQ Athletes Set to Compete in Milan Cortina Winter Olympics

Over 40 openly LGBTQ athletes, including 8 Americans, will participate in the 2026 Winter Games, with the first openly transgender athlete also set to compete.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 11:07am

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More than 40 openly LGBTQ athletes are expected to compete in the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, including 8 American athletes like speedskater Conor McDermott-Mostowy and figure skater Amber Glenn. The games will also feature the first openly transgender athlete, Ellis Lundholm of Sweden, to compete in any Winter Olympics.

Why it matters

The participation of a record number of openly LGBTQ athletes at the Winter Olympics represents a significant milestone for LGBTQ inclusion in sports, coming amid ongoing debates over transgender athletes' participation in women's events. The games will also feature events and programming focused on LGBTQ visibility and advocacy in sports.

The details

Outsports.com reports that the 44 openly LGBTQ athletes competing in Milan Cortina include 8 Americans, with McDermott-Mostowy and Glenn among them. The games will also feature the first openly transgender athlete, Ellis Lundholm of Sweden, to compete in any Winter Olympics. Several of the LGBTQ athletes have received support from the Out Athlete Fund to help cover Olympics-related training and travel costs.

  • The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will open on Friday, February 7, 2026.
  • On Friday, February 7, the Out Athlete Fund and Pride House Los Angeles - West Hollywood will host a free watch party for the opening ceremony.

The players

Conor McDermott-Mostowy

An American speedskater who is one of the 8 openly LGBTQ American athletes competing in the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

Amber Glenn

An American figure skater who is one of the 8 openly LGBTQ American athletes competing in the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

Ellis Lundholm

A mogul skier from Sweden who will be the first openly transgender athlete to compete in any Winter Olympics.

Haley Caruso

The vice president of the board of directors of the Out Athlete Fund, a group that has provided financial support to 6 of the openly LGBTQ athletes competing in the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

Valentina Petrillo

A trans Paralympian who will participate in a discussion on LGBTQ inclusion in sports at an event organized by ILGA World and Pride House during the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

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What they’re saying

“When athletes feel seen and accepted, they're free to focus on their performance, not on hiding who they are.”

— Haley Caruso, Vice President, Out Athlete Fund Board of Directors

“I've always been physically capable. That was never a question. It was always a mental and competence problem. It was internal battles for so long: when to lean into my strengths and when to work on my weaknesses, when to finally let myself portray the way I am off the ice on the ice. That really started when I came out publicly.”

— Amber Glenn, Figure Skater

What’s next

The International Olympic Committee's 2021 framework on fairness, inclusion, and non-discrimination will guide the participation of transgender athletes at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

The takeaway

The record number of openly LGBTQ athletes competing at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics represents a significant step forward for LGBTQ visibility and inclusion in sports, even as debates continue over the participation of transgender athletes in women's events.