Olympians should be able to speak on whatever they want, but it matters when and how they do it.
“It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now. I think it’s a little hard,” Hunter Hess, a freestyle skier, said in a news conference, according to NBC. “There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”
After Hess criticized the administration, Trump called him a “loser” on social media, expressing that athletes like Hess make the event hard to watch, according to USA Today.
Olympian Amber Glenn also faced backlash after she shared her opinions against the Trump administration and expressed her support for LGBTQ+ rights. Megyn Kelly, a known Republican podcaster, mocked Glenn’s Olympic performance in an Instagram post. Additionally, Glenn shared she has received dozens of disturbing messages for standing up for what she believes in.
Some citizens within the United States, like Vice President JD Vance, see it as deeply disrespectful to speak against your own Nation while you’re representing the entire country and its people, according to ABC 7 News. On the other hand, a lot of people could potentially see it as the true representation of the people in the majority standing up for what is right.
Athletes should not feel expected to share their political opinions based on the fact that they have a platform as Olympic athletes. The athletes are there to compete. However, I deeply applaud those who have the strength and ability to speak up for themselves. Although I appreciate those who speak out, the general public should not be pressuring these athletes and speaking about how they feel due to the backlash the athletes could face. Our nation is tense, especially between political parties.
If athletes speak their opinion, they should understand that with both popularity and an expectation to represent the people of the U.S.A, their words have weight. Olympic Athletes’ actions are important because it is not just American citizens who look at them, but the entire world. Athletes who decide to speak or not should be prepared for the benefits and the consequences that come with it.
Within the political climate Americans live in, citizens see it all, from Olympians receiving disturbing messages to public mocking by their own government. It’s best to say that athletes should not be forced to share their opinion to protect them, their families and our citizens who stand with them. Olympians should not be obligated to share something personal about themselves. The audience does not watch for their political opinions, but for wonderful athletics on an international level.
