Tokyo Olympics 2020: A look back at the history of LGBTQ+ athletes in the Olympic Games - It's about time! After being p- Navbharat Times Photodhamal

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It's about time! After being postponed by the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Summer Olympics is finally taking place in Tokyo from July 23 to August 8, 2021. This year the event is different. There will be record participation by out LGBTQ+ athletes. According to reports, the number of participants reaches 163, more than double the 56 who participated in the 2016 Summer Games in Rio. The massive increase in participation reflects the growing acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in sports and society. Through this gallery, we take a look back at the history of LGBTQ+ athletes in the Olympic Games.

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John Curry was the 1976 Olympic and World Champion. The English figure skater, famously known as the 'the Nureyev of the ice' won the gold at the 1976 Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. Just as he was making the headlines for his victory, Curry was outed as gay by a German tabloid. Curry confirmed his sexuality at a press conference that same year in Innsbruck.

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Guenter Seidel won bronze medals in team dressage at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. He also won a bronze medal in team dressage at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

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Marilyn Agliotti is a field hockey player from the Netherlands. She previously represented South Africa. After her move to the Netherlands and award of a Dutch passport, she represents the Dutch national team. Marilyn was a member of the Dutch team that qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and won the gold medal. She was also a member of the Dutch team that achieved a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in 2012. She has been outspoken about being gay in sports.

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Adam Rippon became a sensation overnight as he competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. At the Olympics, Rippon won a bronze medal as part of the figure skating US team, which made him the country's first openly gay athlete to win a medal at the Winter Olympics.

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