Australia’s Rachael Gunn, often known as B-Lady Raygun, competes through the Spherical Robin Battle on the breaking competitors at La Concorde City Park on the Paris Olympics 2024, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Picture/Frank Franklin)
SYDNEY— The Australian Olympic Committee has criticized an nameless on-line petition attacking controversial Paris Video games breaking competitor Rachael Gunn, saying the petition was “vexatious, deceptive and bullying.”
Final weekend, the game of breaking made its Olympic debut. One of many lasting photographs was the efficiency of an Australian b-girl often known as Raygun — 36-year-old Sydney college professor Gunn — who did a “kangaroo dance” amongst different questionable strikes throughout her routine, and scored zero factors.
Gunn was subsequently closely criticized for her efficiency with parodies even being performed out on a late night time tv present in the US.
READ: Japan’s b-girl Ami wins Olympic breaking’s first gold medal
Gunn, who has not but returned to Australia following the Video games, obtained sturdy assist from Australian crew chef de mission Anna Meares whereas nonetheless in Paris. On Thursday, the AOC went a serious step additional, refuting quite a few faulty tales it says have appeared on-line since.
Chief govt officer Matt Carroll stated the the AOC had written to vary.org, which had printed a petition criticizing Gunn and the AOC, demanding that or not it’s instantly withdrawn.
Greater than 40,000 individuals have signed the petition claiming Gunn had “manipulated” Olympic qualification processes.
Carroll says the petition “contained quite a few falsehoods designed to engender hatred towards an athlete who was chosen within the Australian Olympic crew by means of a clear and unbiased qualification occasion and nomination course of.”
READ: Breaking neighborhood defends b-girl Raygun at Olympics
“It’s disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an nameless particular person might be printed on this approach,” Carroll stated. “It quantities to bullying and harassment and is defamatory. We’re demanding that or not it’s faraway from the positioning instantly. No athlete who has represented their nation on the Olympic Video games needs to be handled on this approach . . . ”
On-line criticism this previous week has included solutions that the Oceania qualifying occasion held in Sydney final October was set as much as favor Gunn, and questioned the judging which allowed Gunn to qualify.
Australia’s Rachael Gunn, often known as B-Lady Raygun, competes through the Spherical Robin Battle on the breaking competitors at La Concorde City Park on the Paris Olympics 2024, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Picture/Abbie Parr)
The AOC stated Thursday the Oceania qualifying occasion was carried out below the Olympic qualification system decided by the worldwide governing physique, World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) and authorised by Worldwide Olympic Committee.
It stated the judging panel for the occasion was chosen by the WDSF and consisted of 9 unbiased worldwide judges.
Unattributed social media feedback additionally urged Gunn and her husband, fellow breaker Samuel Free, had held positions inside Australian breaking organizations.
“Rachael Gunn holds no place with AUSBreaking or DanceSport Australia in any capability,” the AOC stated Thursday. “She is solely an athlete who competed within the qualifying occasion which she received.”
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Breaking on the Olympics could be a one-and-done in Paris. It’s not on the competitors checklist for the subsequent Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, and in addition is unlikely to seem in 2032 at Brisbane, Australia.
Observe Inquirer Sports activities’ particular protection of the Paris Olympics 2024.
