Athletes

The Japan and Olympic flags fly as country flags are carried in during the closing ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the Summer Olympics on Sunday in Tokyo.

Closing Ceremony Caps Off A Dramatic, Bittersweet And Ultimately Uplifting Olympics

9:33am August 08, 2021

by Merrit Kennedy

The ceremony organizers used artistic elements to show the athletes a taste of ordinary life in Japan, something they haven't been exposed to due to pandemic restrictions.

U.S. star sprinter Allyson Felix, shown here in June during U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, is competing this week at the Tokyo Olympics.

10 Unique Storylines To Follow In The Final Stretch Of The Tokyo Olympics

12:06pm August 02, 2021

The swimmers are now leaving Japan and the spotlight moves to the track and field events at Olympic Stadium. We'll walk you through the biggest things to watch for until the closing ceremony.

A ball sits outside a court at the Ariake Tennis Park during practice sessions at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday.

Athletes At The Tokyo Olympics Are Being Given Condoms, And Warnings Not To Use Them

3:59pm July 21, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

Organizers of the Tokyo Olympics ordered 160,000 condoms to be handed out to athletes in the Olympic Village. Under COVID-19 protocols, athletes are technically banned from using them.

Former U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee's vice president of sports medicine Bill Moreau is suing the organization. He says he was fired for exposing the mistreatment of athletes.

'I Was Raising Hell': Fired Ex-U.S. Olympic VP Says He Exposed Athlete Mistreatment

12:25pm February 07, 2020

by Tom Goldman

Bill Moreau, a former vice president with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, says the issue has been in the public spotlight for years and officials still aren't doing enough to prevent abuse.

Logan Davis #1 congratulates Ohio State Buckeyes teammate Nick Oddo #15 for scoring a goal on March 22, 2014.

Underdiagnosed Male Eating Disorders Are Becoming Increasingly Identified

2:46pm March 03, 2019

NPR's Michel Martin talks with journalist Soledad O'Brien about her recent reporting on eating disorders among male athletes. O'Brien said social media played a big role in these eating disorders.

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Olympic athletes have some crazy anxiety dreams.

Everyone Has Anxiety Dreams. Olympic Athletes Have Olympic-Size Ones

1:59pm February 07, 2018

by Melissa Block

U.S. winter Olympians — whose sports can defy gravity and involve breakneck speeds on snow and ice — share some of their most common nightmares in a special NPR Up First podcast from Pyeongchang.

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Skiing was second nature for Dunklee, but shooting a rifle at first felt alien to her. In the wake of mass shooting tragedies in the U.S., she has wrestled with ambivalence over using rifles for sport.

With Few Fans And Little Funding, U.S. Biathlon Team Hopes For First Olympic Medals

5:13pm February 05, 2018

by Melissa Block

Biathlon is the only winter sport in which the U.S. has never won an Olympic medal. But hopes are high for Pyeongchang. "I've never seen our team in such high spirits," says biathlete Lowell Bailey.

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Skier Gus Kenworthy speaks during the 100 Days Out 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Celebration with Team USA in November.

Gus Kenworthy Will Be The Second Openly Gay Man To Compete For U.S. In Winter Games

6:55pm January 22, 2018

by Danny Nett

The skier, who came out in 2015, secured a spot on the U.S. team on Sunday. A vocal advocate of LGBTQ visibility in sports, Kenworthy took silver at the 2014 Sochi Games.

Members of the San Francisco 49ers kneel during the national anthem prior to a game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium on Oct. 1.

Your Questions About Activism In Sports, Answered

3:57pm October 25, 2017

Why is the anthem played at sporting events? Do athletes have a positive impact on political or social change in the U.S.? Here are some answers to questions from our call-out on sports and activism.

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Harrison Browne, seen here playing for the Buffalo Beauts, says he feels lucky to be part of a league that accepts him and wants him to feel comfortable.

Transgender Hockey Player Postpones Hormone Treatment To Keep Playing

5:00am September 24, 2017

by Maggie Mertens

Sports leagues have struggled with how to define gender when it comes to deciding who can play. Pro hockey player Harrison Browne has decided to postpone hormone therapy for one more year on the ice.