On June 6, the Rainbow Action Group, a coalition of LGBTQ rights organizations in South Korea, released a surprisingly urgent statement urging the media to refrain from using the Olympic platform as a means to promote hatred against transgender individuals. The call emphasizes the need for the Olympic Games to embody ideals of equality and inclusion, particularly concerning the participation of transgender women in the event. The statement's timing relates closely to a flurry of media articles expressing concerns about fairness in light of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) recent agreements with International Sports Federations regarding the participation criteria for transgender athletes.

Following the Rainbow Action's statement, news reports revealed that the IOC has reached an agreement on the participation criteria for transgender athletes in the Olympics and the World Championships, indicating potential restrictions for transgender women’s participation in women’s events. While specific details were not made public, speculation abounds regarding guidelines that may exclude those who have gone through male puberty from competing in women’s categories. This concern was echoed in articles featuring provocative headlines that framed transgender athletes as problematic, fueling the controversy surrounding their involvement in elite sports.

Additionally, contrasting narratives coexist within the media coverage. For instance, an article from Hankyoreh highlighted the only transgender athlete expected to compete in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Elise Lundholm from Sweden, shedding light on the positive aspects of LGBTQ representation in sports. It noted the participation of over 44 openly LGBTQ athletes in the upcoming Olympics, showcasing a shifting narrative around gender identity in sports. However, underlying tensions remain as the Rainbow Action pointed out the glaring absence of openly LGBTQ athletes, particularly transgender individuals, within South Korea's elite sports environment, indicating a complex, often contradictory discourse that surfaces each Olympic season.