The first transgender athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics finished dead last in their skiing qualifying moguls.
Swedish skier Elis Lundholm, who was born as a woman but identifies as male, is competing in the women’s freestyle division.
The 23-year-old’s participation is allowed under the current International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines, making him the only openly trans athlete competing at this year’s Games.
But after making a mistake on the snowy slopes of Livigno, Lundholm finished 29th with a score of just 12.05 on Tuesday. Australia’s Charlotte Wilson finished in 28th place with 49.95 points.
However, the trans Swede still has the chance to qualify for the final round again due to the nuances of the qualification moguls.
While the top 10 scored athletes on Tuesday receive an automatic bye, the remaining skiers will take part in a second round on Wednesday morning. Those who make the top 10 will then join the existing finalists, with the chance of winning a medal on Wednesday afternoon.
Transgender Swedish skier Elis Lundholm finished dead last in Tuesday’s qualification moguls
Lundholm made a mistake on the snowy slopes of Livigno and finished with just 12.05 points
Lundholm has previously spoken out about his comfort at competing in female-only divisions.
‘I’ve always been treated well,’ he told Swedish TV channel SVT previously.
‘I came out and identified as a man. But I compete against women because they have the same qualifications as me. And that’s okay with everyone.’
His participation for the women’s team is in line with the IOC’s 2021 ‘Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations’.
Those guidelines allow trans athletes to compete in the Olympics after being cleared by their own national sports federations.
Before he took to the slopes, Lundholm also addressed criticism surrounding his participation.
‘Of course it’s something I thought about,’ he said. ‘You can hear the voices out there. But then I do my thing, and I don’t give a damn.’
Amid concerns over online trolls, the IOC’s AI scanner will help eradicate any hate sent Lundholm’s way on social media.
The 23-year-old’s participation for the women’s competition is in line with IOC Framework
Lundholm has previously spoken out about his comfort at competing in female-only divisions
Executives within the Swedish Olympic Committee and the Swedish Ski Association (SKA) have also shown their support.
‘It is clear that we will keep an eye on our social media as well and remove and block if any online hate appears,’ said Robert Hansson, the sports director for moguls at the SKA.
‘And so I hope that there won’t be any situations that we can’t handle. Elis is very confident in himself and in what he’s decided on and what he stands for.
‘It’s going to take a lot before he’s going to be shaken by this.’
