Winter Olympians expressed mixed feelings about the battle for the United States, while criticizing unrest at home, including ICE raids against immigrants.
“It’s a bit difficult,” freeski halfpipe competitor Hunter Hesse said, USA Today reports this on Friday. “There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of. Flying the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s happening in the US.”
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Aerials freestyle skier Chris Lillis also told USA Today that he felt conflicted, telling the newspaper that he is “proud to represent our country” but “heartbroken” about the crackdown on immigration.
“I love the USA and I don’t think I would ever want to represent another country in the Olympics,” said Lillis, a gold medalist at Beijing 2022. “That said, athletes are often hesitant to talk about political views and how we think about things. I feel heartbroken about what has happened in the United States. … I think as a country we need to focus on respecting everyone’s rights and making sure that we treat our citizens and everyone with love and respect.”
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Cross-country skiing gold medalist Jessie Diggins felt the need to clarify what aspects of America she represented at the Cortina Games in Milan.
“I want to make sure you know who I’m racing for when I get to the start line at the Olympics,” she recently wrote on Instagram. “I race for an American people that stands for love, for acceptance, for compassion, fairness and respect for others. I do not stand for hatred, violence or discrimination.”
“Every day I get to decide who I race for and how I want to live up to my values,” she continued. “To everyone who cares for others, protects their neighbors, and meets people with love, every step is yours. YOU are the ones who make me proud to carry the flag, and I hope I can bring you joy in the weeks ahead.”
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Women’s hockey player for Team USA Kelly Pannek has taken a more direct route to criticize the Trump administration. NPR reported calling out the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, which has also resulted in the deaths of two protesters in Minnesota:unnecessary and just plain awful.”
“It’s obviously very tough,” said Pannek, who is from the Minneapolis area. “What I am most proud of is the tens of thousands of people who show up on some of the coldest days of the year to stand up and fight for what they believe in.”
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Figure skater Amber Glenn, who discussed her journey to coming out as bisexual and pansexual before the Games, has blasted Trump and Co. torn this week.
“It has been a difficult time for the [LGBTQ+] community at large in this government,” she said, Reuters reported this. “It’s not the first time that we’ve had to come together as a community and try to fight for our human rights. And especially now, it’s impacting not just the queer community, but a lot of other communities. I think we can support each other in a way that we didn’t have to before, and that’s made us a lot stronger.”
“I know a lot of people say you’re just an athlete, you should stick to your job and shut up about politics, but politics affects us all,” she added. “It’s something I’m not just going to keep quiet about because it’s something that affects us in our daily lives. So of course there are things I don’t agree with, but as a community we are strong and we support each other, and better days lie ahead.”
