“This is bigger than just me.” When American middle-distance runner Nikki Hiltz made it through the 2024 Olympic Trials, their triumph meant much more than a personal win. It felt like a milestone for their entire community. Just a few months earlier, Hiltz had come out as a transgender and non-binary athlete, wondering if the world had space for them. But making it to their first Olympics in Paris pumped their self-belief that they could do this.

Hiltz is now just two steps away from the highest milestone in Paris. Clocking a 4:00.42 in the heats, they have now qualified for the women’s 1500m semis. However, something about the Paris Olympics’ atmosphere has now led Hiltz to break their silence.

Nikki Hiltz points out a key aspect of the Olympics

Taking to Instagram after cruising to the semi-finals, Hiltz lends their voice to a crucial issue at the Paris Olympics. In a caption below their latest post, Hiltz mentions, “There’s a lot of ignorance and hate out there right now. For those who identify as nonbinary or trans and are doing cool things in the world (which is most likely all of you because all queer people are cool AF) remember you are magic and that it’s not the critic who counts. I love you. I need you. I see you. Keep going.”

Opening up about the atmosphere at the Olympics, Hiltz tried to pen an encouraging note via their caption. However, this isn’t the only time they have spoken up. As per NBC News, Hiltz had recently written on Instagram that “Transphobia is going crazyyyy at these Olympics.” They had also mentioned, “Anti-trans rhetoric is anti-woman. These people aren’t ‘protecting women’s sports,’ they are enforcing rigid gender norms and anyone who doesn’t fit perfectly into those norms is targeted and vilified.”

Hiltz’s comments come at a time when the sport of boxing came under the radar at the Paris Olympics recently. While Nikki Hiltz does not make any reference to the issue, the boxing controversy has nonetheless led to a lot of furor recently.

Before Hiltz’s remarks, a fire was already fuming at the Olympics

During the Paris Olympic boxing bout between Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Angela Carini, the latter exited in just forty-six seconds. And her early withdrawal was followed by a rising controversy. Carini endured two strong punches from Khelif during the match. The first one loosened her chinstrap, and the other one knocked on her chin. Appearing in pain, not even her coach Emanuel Renzini’s words could push her to complete the round, and Carini decided to stop, tears rolling down her face.

Post the bout, Carini said, “I have never been hit so hard in my life. It’s up to the IOC to judge.” This fueled a heated gender debate around Imane Khelif. Particularly just last year, Khelif was disqualified during the World Championships because she failed the gender eligibility tests held by the IBA. As per the International Boxing Association, she had high testosterone levels. And this time at the Paris Olympics, the unsubstantiated claims about Khelif’s gender spiraled, bringing back these past references.

The incident reached such an extent that Imane’s father, Amar Khelif, caught up with Reuters. He presented documents, saying, “This is our family official document, May 2, 1999, Imane Khelif, female. It is written here you can read it, this document doesn’t lie.” But all these questions about her gender seemed to have affected Khelif. Leading her to urge, “I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects.” She continued to explain how it can kill people’s thoughts, spirits, and minds. Nonetheless, she asks people to put an end to this.

Moreover, the IOC has also come out and shed light on the issue. Spokesman Mark Adams said that the IBA’s gender eligibility tests were conducted “kind of overnight.” Plus, the boxers being subject to such derogatory accusations is “totally unacceptable,” per IOC president Thomas Bach. And now, Nikki Hiltz has added their personal take on the Olympics. Based on it, what do you think about the games this year? Let us know below.