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Swedish skier Elis Lundholm is poised to make Olympic history at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, becoming the first openly transgender athlete to compete at a Winter Olympics.
The 23-year-old moguls specialist, who was assigned female at birth but identifies as a man, will take part in women's freestyle skiing events including moguls and dual moguls under current international eligibility rules.
Lundholm's participation is a landmark moment in both winter sports and LGBTQ+ representation, demonstrating how evolving policies are allowing athletes of all gender identities to compete at the highest level.
Lundholm's path to the Olympics reflects years of both athletic dedication and personal resilience. Currently ranked 24th in the overall moguls standings for the 2026 FIS Freestyle World Cup season, he has steadily built a competitive track record.
His Olympic debut comes after rigorous qualification events, with women's moguls qualifying beginning on February 10. Despite being a transgender man, Lundholm competes in women's categories because IOC and International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) rules classify eligibility based on sex assigned at birth rather than gender identity alone.
Milestone for representation
Lundholm will be the only openly transgender athlete among thousands at the 2026 Winter Olympics, highlighting both progress and the ongoing global conversation surrounding gender identity in sports.
The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) 2021 "Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations" provides the foundation for his participation. This framework ensures that athletes can compete in a safe, harassmentfree environment while balancing the need for fair competition.
According to the IOC, the guidelines "recognize both the need to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their gender identity or sex variations, can practice sport in a safe, harassment-free environment... and the interest of everyone - particularly athletes at elite level - to participate in fair competitions."
Ahead of the Games, Lundholm addressed criticism with confidence, saying, "Of course it's something I thought about. You can hear the voices out there. But then I do my thing, and I don't give a damn."
He also emphasized that he has been treated well by his fellow competitors, reflecting a supportive environment within the skiing community.
Officials from the Swedish Olympic Committee and the Swedish Ski Association have pledged to monitor and block any online harassment. Robert Hansson, sports director for moguls at the Swedish Ski Association, stated, "Elis is very confident in himself and in what he's decided on and what he stands for. So it's going to take a lot before he's going to be shaken by this."
As Lundholm prepares to take to the slopes, his participation symbolizes more than just athletic achievement.