142 LGBTQ+ Athletes Compete in Tokyo Olympics... Record High Participation

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] At least 142 LGBTQ+ athletes are expected to participate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which opens on the 23rd, marking the highest number in Olympic history.

According to foreign media on the 17th, at least 142 athletes who have publicly identified as LGBTQ+ will compete in this Tokyo Olympics, more than double the 56 athletes at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

The 56 athletes at the 2016 Rio Olympics was the highest number of openly LGBTQ+ athletes in Olympic history up to that point.

The 142 athletes exceed the total number of LGBTQ+ athletes who have ever competed in all previous Summer Olympics combined.

LGBTQ+ refers broadly to homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender individuals, and people whose gender identity is not fixed.

Canadian swimmer Marcus Sommer did not disclose his gender identity during the 2016 Rio Games but came out as gay for this Olympics.

At least 25 countries and 26 sports will have LGBTQ+ athletes participating in this Games.

The United States leads with 34 athletes. Star players of the women's basketball and women's soccer national teams, Sue Bird (basketball) and Megan Rapinoe (soccer), are also well known as a couple.

Canada follows with 16 athletes, the United Kingdom with 15, and the Netherlands with 13.

New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard is the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics. She will compete in the women's 87 kg category at this Games.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.