The Winter Games are rarely a hotbed of political intrigue. But these are strange times – and athletes want to make their voices heard
When Lindsey Vonn looked toward the Pyeongchang Winter Games, which kick off in 30 days’ time, the Olympic gold-medalist seized the opportunity to slam Donald Trump: “I hope to represent the people of the United States, not the president.” She added: “I want to represent our country well. I don’t think that there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that.”
In a country where unquestioning deference to the office of the presidency is a presumed duty of citizenship, this was a remarkable statement. But was it a clarion call for athletes to become activists at this year’s Olympics? Fifty years after US track stars Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists at the Mexico City Games to protest social injustice, will we see Winter Olympians taking a knee?
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