Team USA freestyle skier Hunter Hess didn’t mince words when talking about representing the United States in the midst of the country’s current political climate.
“It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now,” Hess said at a press conference on Friday, February 6, before the Olympic Winter Games opening ceremony. “It’s a little hard. There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of. … Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”
Fellow freestyle skier Chris Lillis echoed Hess’s sentiment at the media press conference, condemning the recent raids from United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the death of two U.S. citizens and subsequent protests across the country.
“I feel heartbroken when it comes to what’s happening in the United States,” said Lillis, who won a gold medal in the team aerials event at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. “I think as a country we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens, as well as everybody, with love and respect. And I hope that when people look at athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize that that’s the America we’re trying to represent.”
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He continued, “I love the USA and I think I would never want to represent a different country in the Olympics. With that being said, a lot of times athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things.”
These comments came just before United States Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, were loudly boo’d at the opening ceremony at the Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, while Team USA entered the stadium during the Parade of Nations.
Prior to the opening ceremony, International Olympics Committee President Kirsty Coventry said that she hoped the crowd would be respectful to the various attendees.
“I hope that the opening ceremony is seen by everyone as an opportunity to be respectful of each other,” she said at a press conference on Wednesday, February 4. “No one is asking what country they come from or what religion. They are all just hanging out. It was a real opportunity to put into perspective how we could all be. And so, for me, I hope that the opening ceremony will do that and will be a reminder for everyone how we could be.”
Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu also chimed in on the unrest in the United States, saying Olympians have the opportunity to “show what American citizens are and who we are.”
“I just want us to share stories, because I think we’re all very unique, and I think that’s what it’s about,” said Liu.
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Halfpipe freeskier Alex Ferreira said he hopes the Olympic motto of world peace can be extended domestically to the United States.
“The Olympics represent peace, so let’s not only bring world peace, but domestic peace within our country as well,” Ferreira said.
Freestyle skier Quinn Dehlinger sees the Olympics as an opportunity to unite fellow Americans from across the globe.
“The political divide in the United States is very prevalent, and competition sports is always a way to bring people together, ” said Dehlinger. “I think that this is just a great way to show one country.”
