Las Vegas Raiders player Carl Nassib becomes the first active NFL player in history to come out as gay on Monday.
Driving the news: Nassib said he was coming out now because "representation and visibility are so important" and he will be donating $100,000 to the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention service for LGBTQ youth in the U.S.
Organizers of the Tokyo Olympics said Monday that venues can be filled up to 50% capacity when the Games kick off on July 23, with a maximum of 10,000 Japanese spectators at each event, AP reports.
Why it matters: Medical experts advising the Japanese government had recommended against allowing fans, citing the low vaccination rates in Japan and the potential for new variants to drive up infections.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee announced Monday that Laurel Hubbard has been selected for the women's weightlifting team for the Tokyo Games — making her the first openly transgender athlete to compete at the event.
The big picture: Hubbard, 43, is part of a five-member Kiwi weightlifting team and will compete in the women's super heavyweight category. Meanwhile, BMX rider Chelsea Wolfe will become the first openly trans athlete to travel to the Olympics with Team USA, when she arrives in Tokyo as a reserve rider.
Qatar will require fans attending the 2022 World Cup to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the Associated Press reported Sunday.
Why it matters: As the Tokyo Olympics has shown, even with the advent of coronavirus vaccines, the pandemic has the ability to wreck havoc on sporting tournaments.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R.-Fla.) wrote to President Biden on Sunday asking the commander in chief to grant a waiver that would allow Naval Academy graduate Cameron Kinley to play in the NFL, the Hill reports.
The big picture: Rubio's letter comes after the Navy denied Kinley's request to delay his service in order to potentially play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A Uganda Olympic team member tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Japan late Saturday, officials said.
Why it matters: Japan's government has faced criticism for vowing to host the Tokyo Games next month as coronavirus cases rise. The Ugandan team is the second to arrive in Japan after the Australian women's softball players, and this is the first COVID-19 infection detected among the Olympic athletes, Al Jazeera notes.
