Two “non-binary” athletes will be competing in the Paris Games this week. Still, after Olympic officials decided to allow the various sports federations to make their own rules governing transgender athletes, many were excluded from the 2024 Olympics.
One of these athletes, Canadian women’s football player Rebecca Quinn, had competed before and was the first supposed “non-binary” athlete to compete at the Tokyo Games in 2021. Quinn identifies as transgender and non-binary, though still plays on Canada’s women’s national soccer team.
Similarly, the American “non-binary” athlete who will compete this year was also born female and will compete in female categories.
Runner Nikki Hiltz will compete in the women’s 1,500m race for Team USA this year. Hiltz identifies as transgender non-binary.
After qualifying for the Olympics, Hiltz said, “I told myself, I’m not going to think about all the love and support (I have) until 100 meters to go,’” Hiltz said on Sunday. “And then, at that moment, you can let it all fill you up and push you to the finish line.’ That’s exactly what I did, and I think that’s what brought me home.”
Hiltz went on to claim she was competing for the gay community.
“I literally can’t believe it. I mean, this is bigger than me,” Hiltz said in an interview with NBC Sports. “It’s the last day of Pride month. I wanted to run this one for my community and, yeah, all the LGBTQ folks. You guys brought me home that last hundred [meters]. I could just feel the love and support.”
Last night I qualified for my 7th straight US 1500 final. I’ve seen many ways this race is run and I truly believe I’m ready for anything on Sunday!
This is a DEEP 1500 final. A rising tide lifts all boats and this field has risen to an epic level! Excited, grateful, ready pic.twitter.com/iFVPXaba2T
— Nikki Hiltz (@Nikki_Hiltz) June 29, 2024
Several other transgender athletes, including controversial swimmer Lia Thomas, were excluded from the international games this year after several sports governing bodies changed rules to either tighten requirements or ban transgenders altogether — especially male-to-female trans athletes.
However, several others were also excluded after the changes in the rules, including U.S. BMX Freestyle cyclist Chelsea Wolfe, British cyclist Emily Bridges, and French sprinter Halba Diouf.
The organizations that tightened rules or placed outright bans on trans athletes include World Ruby, World Swimming, World Athletics, and the International Cycling Union.
With the many rule changes, the 2024 Olympics dodged the transgender bullet and will have no men who have “transitioned” to women competing this time out.
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