“I have my period”: skater Amber Glenn tackles the menstrual taboo at the Winter Olympics and hopes to make things happen
Fifth in the free program Wednesday, February 19, 2026, the American skater Amber Glenn explained that she had her rules during the competition, deploring that this issue is never addressed in the preparation of the athletes.
Will the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics be the ones that will break a taboo? In any case, Amber Glenn’s statements have largely resonated around the world, as few people in the world of sport dare to publicly address an important topic.
The American skater, Olympic champion by team, unfortunately failed to do better than fifth place in the free program, Wednesday, February 19, 2026, after a disappointing 13th place in the program runs two days earlier. After her time, she answered questions from France TV, clearly addressing the subject of menstruation and their impact in her discipline, as in sport in general. In particular, she regretted that no one was talking about this issue.
“It’s hard and no one talks about it”
“I have my period right now,” the skater dropped without a preamble. “So it’s really very difficult, especially when you wear this kind of clothing and you have to be successful in front of the whole world.” If the wearing of the skirt is no longer mandatory for women’s figure skating events since 2024, it remains largely associated with the image of sport. In addition, the figures regularly reveal the crotch of the athletes, which can increase their discomfort during their period.
“It’s hard and no one talks about it. It’s really difficult and scary,” Amber Glenn continued, also recalling the emotional impact that it represents. “It’s something we don’t talk about much about female athletes, when it should be a topic of discussion,” she said.
Already during these Olympics, the Italian biathlete Dorothea Wierer, a great hope of the host country, had spoken about the reality of menstruation and their impact on performance. After a disappointing fifth place in a single on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, she had explained to La Gazzetta dello Sport: “I struggled a lot on my skis, but unfortunately, it was not very pleasant physically,” she regretted. Unfortunately, for us women, it’s like that once a month.”
@francetvsport❄️ #MilanoCortina2026 | 🗣️ Amber Glenn’s spontaneity after his free program: “I have my period right now, it’s really difficult, especially when you have to wear this kind of clothes and you have to be successful.” 📺 Follow the Milan Cortina Games on the France Sports Channel Televisions #WinterSports #Olympics ♬ original sound – France tv sport
What to remember:
- Skater Amber Glenn said she had her period during the skating events.
- She explained that this could be disturbing, especially in her sport.
- Other athletes have already had the opportunity to point out the impact this could have on their performance.
- “Only 9% study exclusively women”: Juliana Antero, researcher at INSEP, talks about the menstrual cycle in sport
- “I made the biggest mistake of my life”: the smashing confessions of this Norwegian athlete after winning an Olympic medal
- “In private, he is no longer the same”: figure skater Gabriella Papadakis accuses her former partner Guillaume Cizeron of control
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