Sports journalist, Gary Al-Smith, says despite the reluctance of African LGBTQ athletes to come out, such an announcement should be expected soon in a major African sporting event.
“..most likely an athlete born outside the continent but has opted to feature for an African team; or someone who has had great exposure to western education,” he told The Accra Times.
This year’s Paris Olympics has seen an unprecedented number of LGBTQ+ athletes openly embracing their identities and taking part in the games; some commentators have described it as a testament to the event’s successful push for greater inclusivity and diversity.
According to Outsports, an organization that tracks openly LGBTQ+ Olympians, 191 athletes have publicly identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, or nonbinary, and are competing in the Games. The majority of these athletes are women.
“The current tally of 191 out-athletes surpasses the previous high of 186 recorded at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This upward trend is anticipated to continue, with expectations of even more athletes openly identifying as LGBTQ+ at future Olympic Games,” Outsports indicated.
“More and more people are coming out. They realize it’s important to be visible because there’s no other way to get representation” said Jim Buzinski, co-founder of Outsports.
In the past two decades, there has been a staggering increase in LGBTQ+ Olympians willing to step into the spotlight and openly declare their identity. Buzinski, who started monitoring the numbers at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, noted that the count has soared from just five athletes to the unprecedented levels we see now.
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics has scored points for its celebration of diversity and inclusivity, with drag queens and refugee athletes taking center stage. Nevertheless, this move has drawn criticism from some religious conservatives, who have expressed disapproval of the event’s progressive themes.
Gary Al-Smith believes it will be a while before this development starts to influence sports tournaments in Africa. However, he suggests that the World Cup is more likely to be influenced by this development sooner, due to its diverse demographic makeup.
“The World Cup is more Western controlled, and so will likely feel obliged or pressured to conform to increasingly liberal social norms. It will not happen in African tournaments anytime soon at all,” he said.
In Ghana, a situation like that could be challenging for such athletes due to heightened public scrutiny and potential backlash, which may jeopardize their performance and safety.
However, Al-Smith believes that Africa’s commitment to various international conventions and agreements protecting against discrimination based on sexual orientation ensures that no harm will come to these athletes.
