“It’s really very difficult, especially when you have to wear this kind of clothing and perform in front of the whole world. It’s hard and nobody talks about it.” Amber Glenn openly discuss how menstrual cycle affect performance
American figure skater Amber Glenn broke a taboo by openly discussing how her menstrual cycle affected her Olympic performance, highlighting the need for more conversation about this issue in women’s sports.
original source: eurosport.fr dd. 20th February 2026 by Cuillaume Pacini
Fifth after the free skate, American skater Amber Glenn decided to break a taboo in women’s sports by revealing that she was greatly affected by her period during her performance on the ice in Milan. Here’s a translation of the article posted on Eurosport France.
Reigning U.S. champion, Amber Glenn was highly anticipated during the free skate at the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. Fifth with 214.91 points, she revealed that her menstruation had significantly impacted her performance.
“I have my period right now, it’s really very difficult, especially when you have to wear this kind of clothing and perform in front of the whole world. It’s hard and nobody talks about it. It’s really difficult and scary, and you’re upset. It’s something that isn’t discussed much regarding female athletes, even though it should be a topic of conversation,” she said, in tears after her skate, thus breaking the taboo around periods in women’s sports.
After finishing a disappointing 13th in the short program, she had already addressed the issue on social media, noting that “menstrual cycles can subtly influence female performance, affecting energy, concentration, mood, and physical comfort at different phases of the cycle,” and can provoke a lot of emotion in stressful situations.
“Symptoms like cramps, fatigue, headaches, or hormonal fluctuations can temporarily reduce concentration or endurance, while other phases can promote strength and mental clarity. It’s important to note that this impact varies greatly from woman to woman, and even from month to month, and many women maintain a high level of performance throughout their cycle. Yet, competition never stops,” wrote Glenn, who won gold in the team event.
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