LGBT Athletes In The Summer Olympic Games

Over 100 LGBT Athletes Have Competed In Summer Olympic Games
By Cyd Zeigler


We've compiled a list of 103 publicly out gay, lesbian, transgender and intersex Olympic athletes, dating all the way back to 1928.

Jul 26, 2012 - There are at least 103 publicly out LGBT athletes in Summer Olympic Games history, according to Outsports’ research. This includes known intersex athletes.


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 list below:


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