Nikki Hiltz, Ryan Garcia (AKA Sports Hero, Zero Sure to Piss Off All the Right People)

by Julian Spivey

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​Hero

American middle-distance runner Nikki Hiltz qualified for the Paris Olympics on Sunday, June 30, after winning the women’s 1,500-meter at the U.S. Track & Field Olympic team trials in Eugene, Ore.
 
Qualifying for the Olympics must’ve been a kickass way to wrap up Pride Month. 

Hiltz, who came out as transgender and nonbinary in 2021, will become one of the first American gender nonconforming athletes in Olympic history. 
 
At the Tokyo Summer Games in 2021, Skateboarder Alana Smith, who identifies as nonbinary, held up their skateboard at one moment with their preferred pronouns “they/them” scribbled on it. Smith didn’t medal, but they said they accomplished their goal of being “happy and a visual representation for humans like me.” 
 
Hiltz will attempt to become the first trans medalist at the Olympics, which will begin later this month. 

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​Zero

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​Boxer Ryan Garcia, who was recently suspended for a year by the New York Athletic Commission for testing positive for a banned substance, proved himself to be a real P.O.S. human when he went on social media using racist slurs and mocked the 2020 death of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of a police officer in Minnesota. Garcia also disparaged Mexicans, Muslims, Christians and others on X (formerly Twitter). 
 
On Thursday, Garcia was expelled by the World Boxing Council for his derogatory language and actions. 
 
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman announced the penalty on X. 
 
We reject any form of discrimination," Sulaiman wrote. "I fear for Ryan (sic) well being as he has declined multiple attempts for our help with mental health and substance abuse."
 
The 25-year old boxer from California said he was “trolling” in a non-apology apology following his expulsion from WBC.
 
Garcia was also arrested and charged with a felony last month after a Beverly Hills hotel accused him of an estimated $15,000 worth of damage to the hotel.