Lindsey Vonn ripped for selfishly shunning Team USA event
So much for team spirit.
Olympic viewers are slamming several U.S. skiers for opting to skip the inaugural Alpine team skiing event scheduled for Saturday.
In fairness to the U.S. Olympians, it seems that numerous athletes from various countries are pulling out of the event for one reason or another, per Reuters.
That being said, it’s still an extraordinarily bad look for the athletes who are supposed to be representing the very best of America.
Skier Lindsey Vonn is joining Mikaela Shiffrin and Ted Ligety in dropping out of the new mixed event.
Vonn in particular is drawing sharp criticism.
Not only is she skipping the team event, she hasn’t earned a single medal despite the copious hype surrounding her.
Some people are upset with Vonn over disparaging remarks she made about President Donald Trump prior to the Olympic games.
But many more are livid over her comments on why she was choosing to skip the mixed event.
“I was an absolute no before, but I was thinking about it,” Vonn told reporters.
If that was all she had said, she probably wouldn’t have gotten as much flak.
But then Vonn elaborated and upset anti-Trump Americans, pro-Trump Americans and many who don’t even care about politics.
“But now Ted’s gone and Mikaela is not doing it and so I don’t really think we have a strong chance of getting a medal since none of our top athletes are doing it, so I probably won‘t,” she said.
No matter which way you slice it, that’s a weak cop-out of an excuse.
People on social media lambasted her for her comments.
Some called her a “spoiled brat.” Others commented that the Olympians dropping out are acting like “spoiled rich kids.” Others felt Vonn and the Olympians were missing the points of the Olympics.
Lindsey Vonn pulling out of a team event because she doesn’t think they have a strong chance at a medal. That’s pretty pathetic. Another athlete didn’t get a spot because of you and they would give anything to compete. #poorsport
— Calee Stimpson (@caleestimpson5) February 20, 2018
.@lindseyvonn and others are missing the point.. To honorably participate in the Olympics has nothing to do with what medal you win, nor is it a place for political views.. Olympians are there to represent the U.S. as ambassadors of peace and good will.. https://t.co/jNhRmVevNb
— Jeremy Gibson (@jeremygibson54) February 19, 2018
She doesn’t even want to bother to compete because she doesn’t think she can win?
If that’s not the embodiment of a loser culture built on participation trophies, then nothing is.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
