Olympic Alphabet : S is for ...

SOCCER

[revised 13 July 2016]

 

In the past few months my list of lgbt Olympians has increased to 243, including those expected to make their debut in Rio next month. One statistic has also increased – the sport with the most known lgbt athletes. That sport is football, or soccer. There are 33 lgbt footballers on the current list.

 

Here’s a table of the footballers to date, with the years and medals, including those expected to compete in Rio de Janeiro (selection of some teams have not yet been officially announced).

 

NAME	NATION	OLYMPICS	G	S	B
Angerer, Nadine	Germany	2000 Sydney
		2004 Athens
		2008 Beijing
Bresonik, Linda	Germany	2008 Beijing
Dahlkvist, Lisa	Sweden	2012 London
		2016 Rio de Janeiro
Duncan, Katie (Hoyle)	New Zealand	2008 Beijing
		2012 London
		2016 Rio de Janeiro
Fischer, Nilla	Sweden	2008 Beijing
		2012 London
		2016 Rio de Janeiro
Grings, Inka	Germany	2000 Sydney
Haugen, Tone	Norway	1996 Atlanta
Herlovsen, Isabell	Norway	2008 Beijing
Heyman, Michelle	Australia	2016 Rio de Janeiro
Holl, Ursula	Germany	2008 Beijing
Hucles, Angela	USA	2004 Athens
		2008 Beijing
Jones, Steffi	Germany	2000 Sydney
		2004 Athens
Kai, Natasha	USA	2008 Beijing
Labbé, Stephanie	Canada	2016 Rio de Janeiro
Landström, Jessica	Sweden	2008 Beijing
Levenstad, Malin	Sweden	2012 London
Lindahl, Hedvig	Sweden	2008 Beijing
		2012 London
		2016 Rio de Janeiro
McLeod, Erin	Canada	2008 Beijing
		2012 London
Medalen, Linda	Norway	1996 Atlanta
Modise, Portia	South Africa	2012 London
Nordby, Bente	Norway	1996 Atlanta
		2000 Sydney
Rapinoe, Megan	USA	2012 London
		2016 Rio de Janeiro
Rogers, Robbie	USA	2008 Beijing
Rønning, Trine	Norway	2008 Beijing
Rouyer, Olivier	France	1976 Montréal
Seger, Caroline	Sweden	2008 Beijing
		2012 London
		2016 Rio de Janeiro
Stoney, Casey	GB	2012 London
Sundhage, Pia	Sweden	1996 Atlanta
Svensson, Victoria	Sweden	2000 Sydney
		2004 Athens
		2008 Beijing
Tancredi, Melissa	Canada	2008 Beijing
		2012 London
		2016 Rio de Janeiro
Videkull, Lena	Sweden	1996 Atlanta
Walsh, Sarah	Australia	2004 Athens
Wambach, Abby	USA	2004 Athens
		2012 London

One thing may strike you when you look down the list of years, which is the gap between the first identified footballer (1976) and the next (1996). This is because the first footballer was a man, Olivier Rouyer. Men’s football has always, and still does, have a very homophobic attitude among the management and fans. The abuse received by the first openly gay male professional footballer in the 1990s, Justin Fashanu, has left a dark shadow over men’s football.

 

The next identified footballer at the 1996 Olympics was in the women’s competition. This was the first women’s football tournament at the Olympics and women have been more forthcoming about their sexuality in the sport.

 

Olivier Rouyer is one of only 2 male Olympic footballers to come out, the other being Robbie Rogers. Both came out after their only Olympic appearances. Rogers has become a leading advocate for openly lgbt male footballers.

 

The out female footballers (not necessarily out at the time they competed) come from a wide range of nations. The first two tournaments in Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 had an all-European contingent with Norway achieving the best results. Even though they won a bronze in 1996 (with 3 lgbt team members) they won gold in Sydney. Only Bente Nordby played both times.

 

Germany won the bronze in 2000 with 3 lgbt team members, although Nadine Angerer was substitute goalkeeper and didn’t play or receive a medal. Germany won bronze at 3 successive games – 2000, 2004 and 2008.

 

The USA’s women’s team have been Olympic champions since Athens 2004. Their only identified footballer they had before that was alternate player Saskia Webber in Atlanta 1996. The Americans have fielded 5 lgbt footballers in total so far. Sweden, however, has fielded 7 throughout the 5 women’s soccer tournaments to date, the only country to do so. They have yet to win a medal, however. One of the Swedish players, Pia Sundhage, went on to coach the USA’s 2008 and 2012 gold medal-winning teams.

 

With the USA’s gold and Germany’s bronze in Beijing there were 5 lgbt soccer players on the medal podium, the most in the tournament so far.

 

The Beijing and London games each had 6 nations with lgbt footballers. On both occasions the teams won either gold or bronze. The London 2012 bronze medallists were Canada.

 

There has been at least 2 medal winners in any one of the women’s soccer tournament since it was first held. With the current form of Team USA there’s nothing to suppose there won’t be any lgbt medallists at the Rio 2016 tournament also. We shall know soon.