Vonn racing for US, not Trump, in Korea

Champion skier Lindsey Vonn says she will represent the United States well in Pyeongchang, something she says the Trump administration has failed to do.

Lindsey Vonn will be representing the "people of the United States, not the president" at February's Winter Olympics, the American skiing star has revealed.

Her remarks about US President Donald Trump came in an interview with CNN's Alpine Edge as the 33-year-old prepares to make what is expected to be her final appearance at an Olympics.

"I hope to represent the people of the United States, not the president," Vonn said.

"I take the Olympics very seriously and what they mean and what they represent, what walking under our flag means in the opening ceremony.

"I want to represent our country well. I don't think that there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that."

The 2010 Olympic and eight-time World Cup downhill champion has been plagued with injuries in recent years, and missed Sochi 2014, but is fit again now after breaking her arm a year ago.

Vonn, who also said she would not accept an invitation to the White House if she were to win gold in Pyeongchang, is not the first major American athlete to criticise Trump, who has usually wasted little time in retaliating via Twitter.

She was also asked for her views on how the International Olympic Committee has responded to the uncovering of Russia's state-sponsored doping program.

"If even a small percentage of that is true I would think the IOC did the right thing," she said.

"Obviously, there are potential athletes that are clean but they have the option now to compete under a neutral flag, which I think is a good solution.

"But doping and what the Russians did is just not acceptable and we have to make that clear. And make sure that it doesn't happen again."


Share
2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
Vonn racing for US, not Trump, in Korea | SBS News