Australian Olympians returned home on Wednesday to passionately defend their fellow breakdancer against the “terrible” critics who mocked her zero points in Paris.
AFP Reports The athletes, who have won a national record 53 Olympic medals, were asked about fellow breakdancing athlete Rachel “Raegun” Gunn, who was absent, and were quick to support her.
Their backlash was online Petition A campaign calling for an investigation into Mr Gunn and the Australian breakdancing team’s selection process, which it claims Mr Gunn “rigged” at the expense of better dancers, has more than 21,000 signatures and is growing.
Swimmer Zach Stabley-Cook, who won silver and bronze medals in Paris, said the criticism of Mr Gunn was “disappointing”. According to of Sydney Morning HeraldMeanwhile, cyclist Matthew Glaetzer said Olympians “should not be spoken of negatively”.
This must be an elaborate troll. https://t.co/cXyayugB54
—Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) August 14, 2024
Premier Anthony Albanese, from the left-wing Labor party, also praised her but dismissed the criticism as “unfair”.
“She tried. The Olympics are all about going in and trying, doing your best and representing your country and she did all that,” Albanese told Nova Radio.
“I think some of the criticism she’s received has been a bit focused and I think that’s really unfair. It’s good to take on the challenge and wear a tracksuit at the time. Very Australian.”
What’s the NBA equivalent of Rachel Gunn’s Olympic performance?pic.twitter.com/8FoIjIzdFy
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) August 13, 2024
Two-time gold medal-winning canoeist Jess Fox also joined Gunn in her defence.
“It’s devastating for her,” Mr Fox told local media in Sydney.
“When you look at the victim … she’s a human being and what she’s been through over the last week is immense. She definitely felt it. There’s a human being behind it and people are quick to say horrible things. She shouldn’t have had to go through that,” Fox said.
Apparently that’s the only explanation. https://t.co/PqAqyd29ce
—Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) August 12, 2024
As reported by Breitbart News, Gunn’s controversial father-in-law, popularly known as “Ray Gunn,” has slammed the judges who gave her a zero.
Athlete Andrew Free took to Facebook to express his frustration that the Olympic judges did not take into account his daughter-in-law’s “originality and musicality.”
meanwhile new zealand Comedian Jemaine Clement added his voice to those who dispute her achievement with a simple opinion from across the Tasman Sea:
I’ve been to Australia and the dancers there were the best.
— Jemaine Clement (@AJemaineClement) August 13, 2024
Mr. Gan received his BA in Contemporary Music in 2009 and his PhD in Cultural Studies in 2017.
Her doctoral thesis is titled “Deterritorialising Gender in the Sydney Breakdancing Scene: B-Girl Experiences of B-Boying” and focuses on “the intersection of gender and Sydney’s breakdancing culture”.
