British freestyle skier and Winter Olympian Gus Kenworthy has revealed he has been subjected to a barrage of death threats and abusive messages after posting a controversial image on his Instagram account that targeted ICE, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
Graphic Snow Message Sparks Online Backlash
The 34-year-old athlete, who was born in Chelmsford but has lived primarily in the United States, shared a photograph last week showing the words "fuck ICE" apparently urinated into snow. The post quickly gained widespread attention across social media platforms, leading to what Kenworthy describes as an "insane" volume of responses.
In a video posted late on Sunday, Kenworthy detailed the disturbing nature of the messages he has received since sharing the anti-ICE image. "A lot of the messages have been awful, 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," the skier explained. He noted that while many responses were supportive, the volume of hateful content has been particularly alarming.
Olympic Background and Upcoming Competition
Kenworthy, who won a silver medal in ski slopestyle at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi while representing the United States, switched to compete for Great Britain in 2019. He is scheduled to compete in the men's snowboard halfpipe competition in Livigno beginning 19 February, where he will represent Team GB.
The freestyle skier also expressed solidarity with other athletes who have spoken publicly about their discomfort representing the United States under the current administration. He specifically mentioned fellow freestyle skier Hunter Hess and skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin, both of whom have faced criticism for their political statements.
Broader Context of Athlete Activism
Kenworthy's experience reflects a growing trend of athletes facing significant backlash for political expression on social media. US figure skater Amber Glenn recently announced she would be taking a break from social media after receiving what she described as "a scary amount of hate/threats" following her comments in support of the LGBTQ community in the United States.
Hunter Hess, who admitted that representing the US was "a little hard," triggered a furious response from former US president Donald Trump, who used his Truth Social account to describe Hess as "a real loser."
Standing by Principles Despite Threats
Despite the threats and abusive messages, Kenworthy remains committed to speaking out on issues he believes are important. "Maybe this video is just going to invite more hate and vitriol 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 stated in his video message.
The Olympian made a clear distinction between criticism of government policies and patriotism, adding: "I think sometimes people forget that you can love the US and be proud to be an American – I am – and still think they can be better and just because you love the US doesn't mean you stand with this administration."
The British Olympic Association has been contacted for comment regarding the threats received by one of their competing athletes. The incident highlights the increasing risks public figures face when expressing political opinions on social media platforms, particularly when those opinions touch on controversial immigration policies and government agencies.
