Nothing says Olympic spirit quite like threatening an athlete with bodily harm for having opinions, right?
Team GB skier Gus Kenworthy is learning that lesson the hard way after his cheeky anti-ICE post went viral last week. The 34-year-old freestyle skier, who’s competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, shared an Instagram photo showing the words written in yellow snow between his skis. You know, the old-fashioned way.
The post was bold, brash, and very much on-brand for Kenworthy, who’s never been one to stay quiet about politics. But the internet, being the internet, responded with a deluge of hate that went way beyond typical trolling.
In a follow-up video posted Sunday, Kenworthy addressed the backlash head-on. While he noted that many messages were supportive and encouraging, others crossed into deeply disturbing territory. “People telling me to kill myself, threatening me, wishing they’ll get to see me blow my knee or break my neck during my event, calling me slurs,” he said, adding that the response has been “insane.”
The silver medalist from the 2014 Sochi Olympics wasn’t backing down, though. He made it clear that criticism of ICE doesn’t equal a rejection of America itself. “I wanna remind everyone that you can love the US and be proud to be an American – I am – and still think they can be better,” Kenworthy explained.
His original post didn’t just feature provocative snow art. It also included a script for followers to use when calling their senators about Department of Homeland Security funding, complete with a phone number and talking points about reining in ICE and Border Patrol.
Kenworthy isn’t alone in facing heat for speaking out. Fellow winter Olympians Hunter Hess and Chris Lillis have also voiced concerns about ICE operations, with Lillis describing himself as heartbroken by recent events. Trump even jumped into the fray, calling Hess “a real loser” on Truth Social after the athlete expressed mixed feelings about representing the U.S.
The British Olympic Association has confirmed it won’t punish Kenworthy for his post, with Dame Katherine Grainger stating he has the right to express himself. And while the vitriol continues to flow, Kenworthy maintains his stance. “But I think it’s important to say what we feel and stand up for what we believe in and stand up to injustice,” he said.
Swiss freestyle skier Sarah Hoefflin summed up the support from fellow athletes, praising those speaking out as “absolute heroes” for doing the hard thing.
