The Olympics and LGBTQIA+ Athletes

Research from OnlineGambling.ca finds that over 200 LGBTQIA+ athletes have competed at the Summer and Winter Olympics so far.

LGBTQIA+ Athletes

Ahead of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo, we celebrate the history and performance of LGBTQIA+ athletes competing in the greatest sporting show on Earth. This is our detailed look at LGBTQIA+ athletes at the Winter and Summer Olympics.

Number of LGBTQIA+ Athletes at the Olympics

Steadily rising since Renée Sintenis and Otto Peltzer became the first known members of the LGBTQIA+ community to take park part in the Amsterdam Olympics of 1928, more than 225 athletes have competed at the Winter and Summer Games to date. Sintenis was the first LGBTQIA+ athlete to win an Olympic medal.

As the chart shows, the last Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 had 75 LGBTQIA+ athletes competing, the most of any Olympiad and reflects a clear upward trend over the last quarter of a century.

  • Summer AND Winter Combined
  • Summer
  • Winter
  • Summer AND Winter Combined
  • Summer
  • Winter
0 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Year 1928
Summer/Winter
2 Athletes
Year 1932
Summer/Winter
4 Athletes
Year 1936
Summer/Winter
2 Athletes
Year 1952
Summer/Winter
1 Athlete
Year 1956
Summer/Winter
1 Athlete
Year 1960
Summer/Winter
1 Athlete
Year 1964
Summer/Winter
2 Athletes
Year 1968
Summer/Winter
5 Athletes
Year 1972
Summer/Winter
7 Athletes
Year 1976
Summer/Winter
8 Athletes
Year 1980
Summer/Winter
1 Athlete
Year 1984
Summer/Winter
9 Athletes
Year 1988
Summer/Winter
15 Athletes
Year 1992
Summer/Winter
17 Athletes
Year 1994
Winter
4 Athletes
Year 1996
Summer
28 Athletes
Year 1998
Winter
7 Athletes
Year 2000
Summer
44 Athletes
Year 2002
Winter
9 Athletes
Year 2004
Summer
33 Athletes
Year 2006
Winter
14 Athletes
Year 2008
Summer
51 Athletes
Year 2010
Winter
19 Athletes
Year 2012
Summer
64 Athletes
Year 2014
Winter
19 Athletes
Year 2016
Summer
75 Athletes
Year 2018
Winter
18 Athletes
Renée Sintenis Otto Peltzer

Number of Olympic Medals Won by LGBTQIA+ Athletes

Number of Olympic medals won by LGBTQIA+ athletes'
229

Total LGBTQIA+ Olympians have competed

129

LGBTQIA+ Athletes have won medals

99

Athletes have completed but not won any medals

Top Countries with the Most LGBTQIA+ Olympic Athletes

When it comes to the nation with the most LGBTQIA+ athletes who have competed at the Olympic Games, the US is out in front with 47 and counting. Neighbouring Canada is second with 33.

The top European country is the Netherlands with Germany in fourth.

Canada 33. USA 47. Netherlands 20
Top Countries
Top Countries
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Note* - Marilyn Agliotti competed for both the Netherlands (2000, 2008) and later South Africa (2012), and has been counted in each country in the list above.

The Top 5 Most Successful LGBTQIA+ Athletes at the Olympics

Ever wondered who the most successful LGBTQIA+ athletes in Olympic history are? Dutch speed skater Ireen Wüst has the most medals with five Gold, five Silver and a Bronze across the last four Winter Games. She is the most successful LGBTQIA+ Olympian of all time.

1
Ireen Wust Netherlands
11
TOTAL

IREEN WUST

Speed Skating
Speed Skating
5
silver
5
gold
1
bronze
2
Ian Thorpe Australia
9
TOTAL

Ian Thorpe

Swimming
Swimming
3
silver
5
gold
1
bronze
3
Karin Büttner-Janz Germany
7
TOTAL

Karin Büttner-Janz

Artistic Gymnastics
Artistic Gymnastics
3
silver
2
gold
2
bronze
4
Jayna Hefford Canada
5
TOTAL

Jayna Hefford

Ice Hockey
Ice Hockey
1
silver
4
gold
N/A
bronze
5
Diana Taurasi USA
4
TOTAL

Diana Taurasi

Basketball
Basketball
N/A
silver
4
gold
N/A
bronze

Top Olympic Sports with the Most LGBTQIA+ Athletes

Discover what sports the most LGBTQIA+ athletes have played at the Olympics. Soccer and track and field top the list ahead of swimming, figure skating and ice hockey.

SWIMMING
18
SWIMMING
SOCCER
32
SOCCER
TRACK & FIELD
29
TRACK & FIELD
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Note* - Marilyn Agliotti competed for both the Netherlands (2000, 2008) and later South Africa (2012), and has been counted in each country in the list above.

Trans Athletes

As yet, no openly trans athletes have competed at the Olympic Games. That is about to change, however. There were three athletes who came out as trans following their involvement in the Olympics, though, and you can learn more about them.

Laurel Hubbard
New Zealand flag

Laurel Hubbard

Weightlifting

New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard is set to make history at the Tokyo Olympics as she will become the first openly transgender athlete to compete at the Summer Games.

MAKING HISTORY
Caitlyn Jenner
Track and field

Caitlyn Jenner

Track and field
N/A
USA
After winning Gold in the multi-discipline track and field Decathlon for the USA at the Montreal Olympics of 1976, Caitlyn Jenner came out as a transgender woman in 2015.
N/A
USA
Rebecca Quinn
Soccer

REBECCA QUINN

Soccer
5
bronze
Canada
Canadian soccer defender and midfielder Quinn won Olympic Bronze at the Rio Olympics of 2016. Quinn has since come out as non-binary transgender in 2020 and continues to play for women’s teams.
5
bronze
Canada
Balian Buschbaum
High jumper

Balian Buschbaum

High jumper
N/A
Germany
German pole vaulter Balian Buschbaum competed at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 before undergoing gender reassignment therapy following retirement from track and field in 2007.
N/A
Germany

Intersex Athletes

There are three known intersex athletes who have competed at the Olympic Games. Find out more about them here:

MAKING HISTORY
Edinanci da Silva
Judo

Edinanci da Silva

Judo
N/A
Brazil
Brazilian judoka Edinanci da Silva became the first openly intersex athlete competing at the Olympics in women’s competitions after making four appearances at the Summer Games. They were from Sydney 2000 until London 2012.
N/A
Brazil
MAKING HISTORY
Heinrich Ratjen
High jumper

Heinrich Ratjen

High jumper
N/A
Germany
High jumper Ratjen competed as a woman at the Berlin Olympics of 1936 for host nation Germany, just missing out on the medals with fourth place.
N/A
Germany
MAKING HISTORY
Stanisława Walasiewicz
Swimming

Stanisława Walasiewicz

Swimming
N/A
Poland
Olympic 100m champion from the Los Angeles Games of 1932, Polish sprinter Walasiewicz also scooped Silver at the following Summer Olympics in Berlin.
N/A
Poland

The Future Stars of the Olympics

More and more out LGBTQIA+ athletes are expected to feature and star at future Olympic Games. All eyes are now fixed on Tokyo, where a new record for participation will be set, with more than 162 out LGBTQ+ athletes said to be competing.

The LGBTQIA+ community will no doubt be following the progress of trans weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, competing at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics.