Trailblazers to be honored at the LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame
Founded to foster visibility and opportunity for LGBTQ people in sports, the Sports Equality Foundation takes “the LOVE approach.” The post Trailblazers to be honored at the LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.
Black News 
Founded to foster visibility and opportunity for LGBTQ people in sports, the Sports Equality Foundation takes “the LOVE approach” and works to make all people who love and support sports feel welcome. The message is that sports are meant to be inclusive at all levels.
In 2013, the foundation launched the LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame, celebrating sports icons like Billie Jean King, Johnny Weir, and Tom Waddell (founder of the Gay Games). After inducting three classes, the Hall of Fame paused but relaunched in 2025 with a fresh sense of purpose.
“Where we are today, we need an increased level of visibility, we need increased awareness that sport is for everybody,” said Scott Bova, chair of the LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame and a director of the Sports Equality Foundation. “On one side we have ‘Heated Rivalry’ (a smash HBO hit drama about gay ice hockey players) …but at the same time, we hear stories of the negative comments about the show. We also hear the large number of individuals that still remain in the closet because of fear and a lack of acceptance by their teams and coaches.”
The honorees at this year’s LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame (Credit:N/A)
The class of 2026 will be officially inducted on June 25 in New York City. The honorees are Maybelle Blair, Nikki Hiltz, Bill Kennedy, Phaidra Knight, Anthony Nicodemo, Ryan O’Callaghan, Robin Roberts, Rick Welts, Sue Wicks, and Dan Woog. Billie Jean King and the late Jason Collins will receive the 2026 Glenn Burke Award. Wicks, who played with the New York Liberty from 1997–2002, was the first WNBA player to publicly come out.
“We’re shining the light on the bravery, the athletic ability and the talents that they bring to the world of sport combined with the impact that they’ve had on our community and our society because they’ve lived their authentic selves,” Bova said. “Sue Wicks broke barriers, she was not apologetic about who she was or is, and she performed at the highest level on the court. Her story needs to continue to be told and honored.”
Bova noted what a profound legacy Collins, who passed away on May 12 from glioblastoma, has left. He was brave to be his authentic self while still playing in the NBA. “The young person that is still figuring out what they identify as or where they are in our community, can say, ‘I can play sports,’” said Bova. “It’s important to show the diversity of people in sports.”
The post Trailblazers to be honored at the LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.
