Gus Kenworthy faces no sanction from Olympic authorities
Team GB freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy will face no sanction from Olympic authorities after sharing a provocative photograph appearing to show an expletive-laden message about US immigration enforcement urinated into snow, reports BritPanorama.
The International Olympic Committee confirmed that the Chelmsford-born athlete would escape punishment for the Instagram post, which emerged just days before competition begins in Milan and Cortina.
An IOC spokesperson told the Press Association: “During the Olympic Games, all participants have the opportunity to express their views as per the athlete expression guidelines. The IOC does not regulate personal social media posts.” Kenworthy, 34, is set to compete in the free-ski half-pipe event.
Kenworthy’s image depicted the words “f*** ICE” scrawled into snow, constituting a direct assault on the controversial US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Accompanying the photograph, the athlete urged American citizens to lobby their senators against continued funding for the organisation.
“Innocent people have been murdered, and enough is enough,” Kenworthy wrote. “We can’t wait around while ICE continues to operate with unchecked power in our communities.” He explicitly called for politicians to establish “real guardrails and accountability,” pressing for limits on warrantless arrests and enforcement activities at sensitive locations like schools and hospitals.
The post arrived amid heightened tensions related to deaths involving ICE in Minnesota. British Olympic Association officials are reportedly untroubled by the incident, primarily because the post does not mention Team GB and was published before Kenworthy entered the Olympic environment.
Though born in Essex, Kenworthy relocated to Colorado at the age of two and spent most of his life in the United States. He represented the US at Sochi 2014, claiming silver in ski slopestyle along with five X Games medals. He switched his allegiance to Great Britain in 2019, subsequently competing for Team GB at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.
The presence of ICE agents in Milan, part of Vice President JD Vance’s security detail, has sparked considerable controversy. Both Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended the opening ceremony at San Siro stadium, having spectated the American ice hockey team’s first match earlier.
Reports of ICE personnel accompanying the wider US delegation prompted local protests in the run-up to the Games, with the Italian foreign office expressing its displeasure. Kenworthy’s qualifying round in the men’s snowboard halfpipe is scheduled to commence on 19 February in Livigno.
The unfolding narrative encapsulates how sports and politics intertwine, challenging athletes to navigate their platforms and responsibilities at pivotal moments. In this instance, Kenworthy’s stance may resonate with many, reminding us all of the power of voices and actions, especially in the high-stakes environment of the Olympic Games.
