British Skier Gus Kenworthy Launches Graphic Anti-ICE Protest Ahead of Olympic Games
British freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy has ignited a major political controversy just days before competing at the Olympic Games by posting a graphic image on social media attacking US immigration officials. The 34-year-old athlete, who competes for Team GB in freestyle skiing, shared an image on his Instagram account showing what appears to be urine spelling the words 'f*** ICE' in the snow.
Social Media Campaign Against Controversial Agency
Kenworthy accompanied the provocative image with a call to his 1.2 million followers to rally against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency that has faced intense criticism following incidents where officers killed two American citizens during a crackdown in Minnesota. The skier's protest comes as ICE officers are present in Italy as part of the US delegation's security detail, a presence that has already caused significant local uproar.
Milan's mayor has described the ICE contingent as 'a militia that kills,' and protests have been occurring throughout the past week, with more demonstrations expected around Friday's opening ceremony that will be attended by US Vice President JD Vance.
Kenworthy's Political Activism Escalates
This latest protest follows separate comments Kenworthy made last week in which he stated: 'I just want to say, I've been waiting to say this in any interview, but just f*** ICE so hard right now. F*** ICE.' The skier, who won Olympic silver for the United States in 2014 before switching to represent Great Britain, has now entered the political debate with his fiery imagery and activism.
Kenworthy's Instagram post included what he called a 'sample script' for US citizens to contact their senators, urging them to apply 'pressure on them during the current DHS funding negotiations.' Part of the template read: 'Innocent people have been murdered, and enough is enough. We can't wait around while ICE continues to operate with unchecked power in our communities.'
Potential Olympic Rule Violation
The skier's actions risk violating the International Olympic Committee's charter, which states: 'No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites.' However, an IOC statement to Daily Mail Sport has suggested he will face no action, noting: 'During the Olympic Games, all participants have the opportunity to express their views as per the Athlete Expression Guidelines. The IOC does not regulate personal social media posts.'
Team GB officials appear unconcerned by Kenworthy's posts, with sources indicating the picture was taken prior to his arrival in Italy for the Games. The skier, who was born in the UK but is based in Colorado, has been called a 'traitor' by some in the United States since switching his Olympic allegiance.
Kenworthy's Complex National Identity
In a recent interview with People magazine, Kenworthy addressed his dual nationality and the criticism he has received: 'I feel good about it. I mean, I do feel like I'm American, but I also do feel like I'm British, and that's where I was born and my mum's British. I've definitely gotten s*** where people are like, "You're a traitor," and I don't think of it that way.'
This isn't the first time Kenworthy has attracted attention during Olympic competition. During the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, after winning his silver medal days before Valentine's Day, he publicly declared Miley Cyrus was his 'dream date' and 'celeb crush' while actually being in what he has since revealed was a 'secret relationship' with a man before coming out as gay.
The skier's latest political protest adds another layer to his already complex public persona, blending athletic competition with social activism at one of the world's most watched sporting events.
