Leading sports figures have become role models in an extraordinary way. Not only are they excelling in their sports, the Olympics, and giving back to their communities, they are making huge political statements. One Olympian is leading the way.
Adam Rippon made his debut at the the Olympics as a figure skater. He is the first openly gay U.S. citizen to qualify for the Winter Olympics. He performed beautifully in the men’s free skate position of the team competition, and with them, earned the bronze medal.
ADAM RIPPON. Because he slays. #WinterOlympics https://t.co/fmMl0C4Amf pic.twitter.com/fkG1KgiTb0
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2018
Vice President Mike Pence made a big deal about wanting to talk to the Olympian prior to his performance. The skater did not want to cloud his event with anything related to the former governor of Indiana. It seems the vice president had no thoughts about how he could destabilize Rippon’s mental preparations.
The charismatic skater’s coach in Philadelphia was Yelena Sergeeva, who said the 28-year-old’s skating:
‘(Is) like, pretty awesome (and that he wants) to make Reese Witherspoon proud.’
The White House announced that Pence was leading the delegation in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and wanted to meet with Rippon. The skater commented that he had no interest in meeting with a governor who acted so badly against the gay community.
According to TIME magazine, Pence describes himself as a “Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that
order.” When he was in Congress, he stood out in the “battle over marriage equality and equal rights.” He called being gay a choice and gays not marrying was not discrimination but “God’s idea:”
‘Societal collapse was always brought about following an advent of the deterioration of marriage and family.
Pence also opposed a law that was meant to stop LGBT discrimination in the workplace. He said the law:
‘Wages war on freedom and religion in the workplace.’
Rippon spoke to USA Today before the Olympics:
‘If it were before my event, I would absolutely not go out of my way to meet somebody who I felt has gone out of their way to not only show that they aren’t a friend of a gay person but that they think that they’re sick,” Rippon told USA Today ahead of the Olympics.
NBC Olympic analysts Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir commented on his beautiful performance, suggesting that it was possible the judges stole a higher score from him.
Lipinski commented on the skating sensation’s presentation, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer:
‘In the component score, in the artistic score, Adam was so much better (than Mikhail Kolyada). I don’t understand what performance the judges were watching.’
Weir added:
‘He was absolutely spellbinding today. That was magnificent. I’m a little bit taken aback as to why he’s not ahead of Kolyada.’
Pence was so worried about how Rippon’s criticism of him, that he contacted the United States Olympic Committee to set up:
‘A conversation between the two.’
After the skater turned him down, Pence’s office said the news was “not accurate’ and “fake news:”
‘Headed to the Olympics to cheer on #TeamUSA. One reporter trying to distort 18 yr old nonstory to sow seeds of division. We won’t let that happen! #FAKENEWS. Our athletes are the best in the world and we are for ALL of them! #TEAMUSA.’
Pence tweeted again:
‘.@Adaripp I want you to know we are FOR YOU. Don’t let fake news distract you. I am proud of you and ALL OF OUR GREAT athletes and my only hope for you and all of #TeamUSA is to bring home the gold. Go get ‘em!’
According to the Inquirer, Rippon said:
‘You know, I’ve worked my entire life for this moment. But more than that, my mom has always taught me to stand up for what I believe in, and that has given my skating a greater purpose. So I go out there and I’m not only representing myself, I’m representing my coaches, I’m representing my country and I’m representing my teammates. So I remember that and that’s how I stay focused.’
He will not be going to the White House.
So, @RWitherspoon, did @Adaripp make you proud? pic.twitter.com/CgMSzm1COg
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2018
Featured Image via Getty Images.
