Swedish skier Elis Lundholm first openly transgender athlete to compete
Swedish skier Elis Lundholm is set to make history as the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics. The announcement was made by the Swedish ski team, revealing that Lundholm, a biological female who identifies as a man, will be competing in the women’s freestyle skiing division at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
This groundbreaking decision comes in line with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) 2021 “Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations.” The framework aims to create a safe and harassment-free environment for all athletes, regardless of their gender identity or sex variations, while ensuring fair competition without any unfair advantages.
Under the current guidelines, transgender athletes can compete in the Olympics after being cleared by their respective sports federations. However, there have been discussions within the IOC about potentially implementing broader transgender eligibility standards that could impact transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports.
Despite these discussions, a formal policy has yet to be officially announced by the IOC. The issue of gender guidelines for the Olympics came under scrutiny during the 2024 Paris Olympics when Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting, who had previously failed gender tests, won gold medals in their respective boxing weight classes in the women’s division, sparking controversy.
In response to these concerns, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) updated its policies in July to align with President Donald Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order. The US is set to host the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
As Lundholm prepares to make history at the Winter Olympics, the sports world continues to grapple with the complexities of transgender inclusion and fairness in athletic competition. The journey of transgender athletes like Lundholm highlights the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all individuals in sports.
