There are at least 103 publicly out LGBT athletes in Summer Olympic Games history, according to Outsports’ research. This includes known intersex athletes.
Over 100 LGBT Athletes Have Competed In Summer Olympic Games
We’ve compiled a list of 103 publicly out gay, lesbian, transgender and intersex Olympic athletes, dating all the way back to 1928.
An impressive 52 percent of these LGBT athletes in the Summer Olympics have won a medal, which is an astounding statistic. While it’s hard to pin down the total number of Olympians over the years, Olympic.org claims there are 27,794 medal winners between all of the Summer and Winter Olympics. That equals the number of athletes in the last three Olympic games combined, leaving the number of Olympians from 1896 to 2006 unaccounted for. A much higher percentage of out LGBT athletes have won medals than straight and closeted athletes.
The list was compiled from various sources, including Outsports, Wikipedia and a fantastic list compiled by Tony Scupham-Bilton. His list includes Olympians from the Summer and Winter games, who won what medals, and he has even included Paralympians and other details. Check out his list here.
The earliest known gay Olympian was German middle distance runner Otto Peltzer, who competed in 1928 and 1932. Despite being a team leader, Peltzer was persecuted by the Nazis after his second Olympics, forcing him at one point to flee the country.
Just under one-third of these Olympians, 34, have competed as men; The others as women. The United States is the most-represented, with 27 athletes. Just over half, 52, are from Europe.
The most-represented sports are soccer (15), track & field (14), swimming (11) and equestrian (10).
Check out our complete list below. And if you have any additions, please send them to us.
- Francilia Agar-Schofield. Dominica, Swimming. 2000
- Marilyn Agliotti. Netherlands, Field hockey. 2012
- Anja Andersen. Denmark, Handball. 1996
- Camilla Andersen. Denmark, Handball, 1996, 2000
- Nadine Angerer. Germany, Soccer. 2000-2008
- Judith Arndt. Germany, Cycling. 1996-2012
- Seimone Augustus. USA, Basketball. 2008, 2012
- Betty Baxter. Canada, Volleyball. 1976
- Kajsa Bergqvist. Sweden, Track & field. 1996, 2000
- Sabine Braun. Germany, Heptathlon. 1984-2000
- Linda Bresonick. Germany, Soccer. 2008
- Yvonne Buschbaum. Germany, Track & Field. 2000
- Sherry Cassuto. USA, Swimming. 1988
- Mark Chatfield. USA, Swimming. 1972
- Darren Chiacchia. USA, Equestrian. 2004
- Natalie Cook. Australia, Beach volleyball. 1996, 2000, 2012
- Robert Costello. USA, Equestrian. 2000
- Scott Cranham. Canada, Diving. 1976
- Edinanci da Silva. Brazil, Judo. 1996-2008
- Lisa Dahlkvist. Sweden, Soccer. 2012
- Eleni Daniilidou. Greece, Tennis. 2000, 2004, 2008
- Irene de Kok. Netherlands, Judo. 1992
- Babe Didrikson Zaharias. USA, Track & field. 1932
- Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel. Netherlands, Field hockey. 2012
- Robert Dover. USA, Equestrian. 1984-2004
- Greg Duhaime. Canada, Track & field. 1984
- Imke Duplitzer. Germany, Fencing. 2000-2012
- Gigi Fernandez. USA, Tennis. 1984, 1992, 1996
- Michelle Ferris. Australia, Cycling. 1996, 2000
- Edward Gal. Netherlands, Equestrian. 2012
- Vicky Galindo. USA, Softball. 2008
- Inka Grings. Germany, Soccer. 2000
- Peter Häggström. Sweden, Track & field. 2000
- Gro Hammerseng. Norway, Handball. 2008
- Jessica Harrison. France, Triathlon. 2008, 2012
- Bruce Hayes. USA, Swimming. 1984
- Matthew Helm. Australia, Diving. 2000-2008
- Isabell Herlovsen. Norway, Soccer. 2008
- Carl Hester. UK, Equestrian. 1992, 2000, 2004, 2012
- Ursula Holl. Germany, Soccer. 2008
- Mia Hundvin. Norway, Handball, 2000
- Patrick Jeffrey. USA, Diving. 1988, 1996
- Natasha Kai. USA, Soccer. 2008
- Johann Kenkhuis. Netherlands, Swimming. 2000, 2004
- Lotte Kiærskou. Denmark, Handball. 2000, 2004
- Ewa Klobukowska. Poland, Track & Field. 1964
- Daniel Kowalski. Australia, Swimming. 1996-2004
- Alexandra Lacrabère. France, Handball. 2008, 2012
- Jessica Landström. Sweden, Soccer. 2008, 2012
- Lauren Lappin. USA, Softball. 2008
- Marion Lay. Canada, Swimming. 1964, 1968
- Mark LeDuc. Canada, Boxing. 1992
- Hedvig Lindahl. Sweden, Soccer. 2008, 2012
- Greg Louganis. USA, Diving. 1976, 1984, 1988
- Brian Marshall. Canada, Track & Field. 1988
- Conchita Martinez. Spain, Tennis. 1992-2004
- Amelie Mauresmo. France, Tennis. 2000, 2004
- Susan Gray McGreivy. USA, Swimming. 1956
- Linda Medalen. Norway, Soccer. 1996
- Lauren Meece. USA, Judo. 2000
- Holly Metcalf. USA, Rowing. 1984
- Hans Peter Minderhoud. Netherlands, Equestrian. 2008
- Matthew Mitcham. Australia, Diving. 2008, 2012
- Leigh-Ann Naidoo. South Africa, Beach volleyball. 2004
- Martina Navratilova. USA, Tennis. 2004
- Rob Newton. UK, Track & Field. 2004
- Bente Nordby. Sweden, Soccer. 1996-2000
- Jana Novatna. Czech Republic, Tennis. 1988-1996
- Katja Nyberg. Norway, Handball. 2008
- Paul O’Brien. New Zealand., Equestrian. 2008
- Tzipora Obziler. Israel, Tennis. 2008
- Maartje Pauman. Netherlands, Field hockey. 2008, 2012
- Otto Peltzer. Germany, Track & Field. 1928, 1932
- Carole Péon. France, Triathlon. 2008, 2012
- Maysa Pessoa. Brazil, Handball. 2012
- Beate Peters. Germany, Track & Field. 1984, 1988
- David Pichler. USA, Diving. 1992-2000
- Rafael Polinario. Cuba, Swimming. 1980
- Inger Pors Olsen. Denmark, Rowing. 1988, 1996
- Peter Prijdegger. Netherlands, Swimming. 1972
- Megan Rapinoe. USA, Soccer. 2012
- Dora Ratjen. Germany, Track & Field. 1936
- Lisa Raymond. USA, Tennis. 2004, 2012
- Craig Rogerson. Australia, Diving. 1988, 1992
- Petra Rossner. Germany, Cycling, 1988, 1992, 2000
- Guenter Seidel. Germany, Equestrian. 1996-2004
- Jimmy Sjodin. Sweden, Diving. 1996
- Rikke Skov. Denmark, Handball. 2004, 2012
- Rennae Stubbs. Australia, Tennis. 1996 - 2008
- Pia Sundhage. Sweden, Soccer. 1996. USA, Soccer (coach). 2008, 2012
- Victoria Svensson. Sweden, Soccer. 2000-2008
- Sheryl Swoopes. USA, Basketball 1996-2004
- Blythe Tait. New Zealand, Equestrian. 1992-2004. 2008 (manager)
- Arjen Teeuwissen. Netherlands, Equestrian. 2000
- Ina-Yoko Teutenberg. Germany, Cycling. 2000, 2012
- Mark Tewksbury. Canada, Swimming. 1988, 1992
- Carole Thate. Netherlands, Field hockey. 1992 - 2000
- Dan Veatch. USA, Swimming. 1988
- Lisa-Marie Vizaniari. Australia, Track & Field. 1996, 2000
- Tom Waddell. USA, Track & Field. 1968
- Stanislawa Walasiewicz, Poland, Track & Field. 1932, 1936
- Ji Wallace. Australia, Trampoline. 2000
- Christine Witty. USA, Cycling. 2000
Breakdown by Country
- 27 USA
- 14 Germany (including pre-unification)
- 10 Netherlands
- 9 Sweden
- 9 Australia
- 7 Canada
- 5 Norway
- 5 Denmark
- 4 France
- 2 Poland
- 2 UK
- 2 New Zealand
- 2 Brazil
- 1 Spain
- 1 Cuba
- 1 Israel
- 1 Czech Republic / Czechoslovakia
- 1 South Africa
Breakdown by Sport
- 15 Soccer
- 14 Track & field
- 11 Swimming
- 10 Equestrian
- 9 Handball
- 9 Tennis
- 8 Diving
- 5 Cycling
- 4 Field hockey
- 3 Judo
- 2 Beach volleyball
- 2 Basketball
- 2 Rowing
- 2 Softball
- 2 Triathlon
- 1 Volleyball
- 1 Trampoline
- 1 Boxing
- 1 Fencing
- 1 Heptathlon
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