From Lindsey Vonn’s F1 Refusal to Chess Grandmaster Giving Up Wins: Three Times Bold Women Changed the Sports Ecosystem

For the Alpine Ski racing legend Lindsey Vonn, this week will be monumental. The 39-year-old Olympic champion has already registered herself in the leadership role of Utah Royals FC in the NWSL. Moreover, she has stepped into the coveted position in a stunning situation when the pack returns this week after spending a 3-year suspension. But the 3x Olympic medalist has tried to make things memorable by donating 25 Royals’ home matches’ tickets to underprivileged girls.

Thus Lindsey Vonn keeps on writing fables in the empowering history. However, for such a role, Lindsey had to make sacrifices in the past. Her unfulfilled love for F1 dreams once made furor among the sports lovers. But Lindsey Vonn didn’t bow down to the situation at that moment. Rather, several such pivotal stories have exemplified the undying attitude of women sports persons. 

Lindsey Vonn does not compromise with practiced values 

Apart from the glissades of snowy hills, Lindsey Vonn finds herself most attached to the car racing. In F1 race tracks, her appearance has become a regular sight, sharing camaraderie with legends like Lewis Hamilton along the fence line. But did you know she once had her option to don the driver’s jacket in F1 cars professionally?

Back in 2020, in a gripping conversation with Graham Bensinger, the slalom duchess said, “I was thinking about switching and going on to the Formula 1… But I couldn’t because they wanted me to commit. It was three years, and they were like you can’t get pregnant, you can’t do anything and I am like I don’t know if I really wanna do that”. Since then, Lindsey has been teaming up with racing companies like Jaguar, but in the question of empowering values, she is far from negotiating. 

Moreover, her mindset remains clear when she backs her thinking. “I like setting paths that no one else has paved before and making it easier for someone coming up behind me to achieve what they dream,” Lindsey Vonn once narrated. The same attitude echoed in a Ukrainian grandmaster once. 

Anna Muzychuk stands for women-centric values 

Anna Muzychuk landed in 2017 after winning back-to-back world titles in blitz and rapid chess in 2016. So when, in 2017, the titles unfolded again, in Saudi Arabia, the Ukrainian grandmaster proved to be the favorite. However, Anna didn’t participate in Saudi Arabia at that time. In keeping her part in the fore, she said, “In a few days, I will lose two world titles, back to back.” Because I decided not to go to Saudi Arabia. I refuse to play by special rules, to wear abaya, to be accompanied by a man so I can leave the hotel, so I don’t feel like a second class person.” Her sacrifice came with a lot of pain but a great deal of accolades. 

“I will follow my principles and not compete in the World Fast Chess and Blitz Championship where in just 5 days I could have won more money than dozens of other tournaments combined,”  she claimed in 2017. However, her stand earned her accolades from tennis star Martina Navratilova then. 

However, one British may find her entry on the same list because of her standing against skimpy outfits in the pole vault. 

Holly Bradshaw paved her way based on a firm choice 

The British pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw didn’t favor wearing skimpy outfits in the pole vault. Detailing her experience with such outfits, she once said, “It was crop top, knickers, shorts, a bikini onesie and I just [felt] … terror … I can’t wear this, there is no way I can go to an Olympic Games and feel comfortable wearing any of this.” Holly also mentioned that several athletes discussed their problems with her based on such outfits and performing in the Olympic Games. So, to send a message, the British athlete took a step. 

In the Tokyo Olympics, she earned her bronze medal in the pole vault wearing a customized one-piece uniform. The riveting incident surely sent a message around the corner regarding the choice. 

Read more: Lindsey Vonn Slams Doubter With a Subtle Three-Word Message

Since then, many such incidents have made headlines. In the Tokyo Olympics itself, the German women’s gymnastics team appeared wearing full-body unitards, replacing the leotards. So, for the time being, athletes like Lindsey Vonn have become the face of defying stigmatized norms and placing a new genre of women in empowerment. 

Also read: Lindsey Vonn Has a Two Word Message After Co-Owning NWSL Team Alongside Philadelphia 76ers Partner