Lundholm says that he has “always been treated well” within the skiing world.
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Instagram/@skiteamswedenmogulsThe 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are shaping up to be extremely gay. Amber Glenn became the first out Olympic women’s figure skater, and sapphic athlete couples like hockey stars Anna Kjellbin and Ronja Savolainen or skeleton pros Kim Meylemans and Nicole Silveira are preparing to face off on the world stage, Heated Rivalry-style.
But this year’s Olympics also mark a major milestone in trans sports with 23-year-old Swedish skier Elis Lundholm set to make history as the first openly trans athlete to compete at a Winter Olympics event. The athlete’s big moment comes during a tenuous time for trans Olympian inclusion, as the International Olympics Committee (IOC) considers banning trans women from women’s sports under the leadership of president Kirsty Coventry. Still, we’re seated for Lundholm’s Olympic journey and so should you. Here’s everything you need to know.
Who Is Elis Lundholm?
Elis Lundholm is a Swedish skier who competes in moguls, a freestyle competition in which skiers navigate a course filled with a series of bumps, executing aerial tricks and jumps in the process.
Which Events Will Elis Lundholm Compete In?
Although Lundholm is a trans man, he will represent Sweden in the women’s moguls and women’s dual mogul events at the Milan Olympics in adherence to the current anti-trans restrictions of the IOC. He officially joined the team just a few weeks ago, on January 22.
How Can I Watch Elis Lundholm’s Events?
The first women’s moguls qualifying event will take place on Tuesday, February 10 at 8:15 a.m. EST, while the women’s dual moguls competition will kick off at 4:30 a.m. EST on Saturday, February 14. U.S. viewers can watch Olympic events on NBC, as well as the network’s streaming service, Peacock.
What Are the International Olympic Committee’s Current Trans Athlete Policies?
Until recently, each sport within the IOC’s international federation was permitted to set its own trans inclusion guidelines. However, in June 2025, IOC president Kirsty Coventry signaled that trans athletes could be banned from women’s categories at the 2028 Olympics when she announced that the IOC will come up with an updated gender eligibility policy to “protect the female category, first and foremost.”
Coventry also announced plans to reintroduce chromosomal “sex testing” at this year’s Olympics to determine female athletes’ eligibility. The IOC previously stopped performing sex testing following the 1996 Olympics, after medical researchers found that these tests were likely to block intersex women from competing rather than enforce fairness.
According to Outsports, because Lundholm competes in the skiing category that matches his sex as assigned at birth, “he is good to compete per the trans athlete rules in any sport.”
What Has Elis Lundholm Said About Competing in the Olympics?
During a January 22 interview with the Swedish outlet Aftonbladet, Lundholm said that he has “always been treated well” within the skiing world. When asked whether he’s thought about the online hate he might receive while competing in the Olympics, the 23-year-old replied, “Of course, it’s something I[‘ve] thought about. You can hear the voices out there. But then, I do my thing and don’t give a damn.”
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Category: General Sports
