Finland introduced a transgender figure skater as its representative during the opening ceremony of the ISU European Figure Skating Championships.
The opening event at the Espoo Metro Areena featured Figure Skater Minna-Maaria Antikainen, “who defines herself as a gender-neutral woman,” according to synchronized skating coach Helena Tienhaara.
“With the diverse group of performers, we want to show that the ice has space for everyone,” she said.
Shortly after Antikainen emerged onto the rink and began skating, he took a tumble — which the judges and audience tried to ignore.
BREAKING: Finland has introduced the world's first transgender national figure skater
They fall down in the first 45 seconds and no one is allowed to act like anything at all happened pic.twitter.com/12n8ubKZ1c
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) January 29, 2023
Another step in the road to progress for womanhood!
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) January 29, 2023
Executive Director of the Finnish Figure Skating Association Outi Wuorenheimo praised the transgender figure skater as another win for diversity in the sport.
“Figure skating is a very conservative sport with various strict rules. In international competitions, same-sex skating pairs are not allowed, and there is no category for non-binary skaters. I hope that every country will start working for equality and diversity in the field,” Wuorenheimo stated.
