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Gus Kenworthy Defends Anti-ICE Post After Threats, Finishes Sixth at Milano Cortina

His BBC remarks frame a self-funded Olympic return as part of a broader fight over athlete speech on U.S. immigration enforcement.

Overview

  • He told BBC Sport he is "on the right side" after receiving violent, homophobic death threats in response to his Instagram message.
  • He posted a graphic image reading an expletive directed at ICE roughly a week before competing at the Winter Olympics in Italy.
  • His stance followed nationwide protests over the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis during an ICE surge known as Operation Metro Surge.
  • He placed sixth for Team GB in the men’s halfpipe final, while U.S. skier Hunter Hess, who also criticized ICE, finished 10th.
  • He said GB Snowsport funding was already allocated, so he and his coach covered travel, training, lift tickets, insurance, food and lodging to make his Olympic return.