Ladbible X Whatsapp
  • iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Australian Olympic Committee launches furious defence of Raygun after 50,000 sign petition demanding public apology

Home> News> Sport

Updated 10:32 15 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 10:28 15 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Australian Olympic Committee launches furious defence of Raygun after 50,000 sign petition demanding public apology

People are seriously unhappy with breaker Raygun's selection for the Paris Olympics

Jess Battison

Jess Battison

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has slammed an 'appalling' petition which demanded viral breakdancer Raygun publicly apologise for competing at the Paris Olympics.

Yep, it seems people are so annoyed by the breakdancer’s performance they’ve took to change.org to blast authorities.

If you’re wondering just what an athlete must have done to cause so much uproar, you’re probably not so present on social media as Rachel ‘Raygun’ Gunn quickly went viral.

The 36-year-old represented Australia in the breaking event at the Paris 2024 Olympics and scored zero points in all three rounds of the breaking heats.

Advert

Viewers were pretty stunned by her unique moves as the now infamous performances gave her viral fame, as many trolls poked fun at her.

People are seriously unhappy with her performance. (Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
People are seriously unhappy with her performance. (Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

There were many questions over why she had been chosen to perform, with both her best friend and representatives speaking out.

But that’s not stopped over 51,000 people signing a petition since Monday (12 August) calling for ‘immediate accountability and transparency in the recent actions of Rachel Gunn and Anna Meares in the selection process for Australia's female breakdancer representative at the upcoming Olympics’.

It accuses Raygun of ‘manipulating the selection process to her own advantage’ and demands a public apology from her and Paris Chef de Mission Meares ‘for misleading the Australian public and attempting to gaslight the public and undermining the efforts of genuine athletes’.

There’s no evidence provided to back up the petition’s claims and AOC boss Matt Caroll has called it ‘appalling’.

Advert

He explained he had written to change.org demanding the immediate removal of the petition, adding it ‘stirred up public hatred’ against the athlete.

“The AOC is particularly offended by the affront to our Chef de Mission, Anna Meares. The Australian Team Chef de Mission played no role in the qualification events nor the nomination of athletes to the AOC Selection Committee, of which the Chef and I are members,” Carroll said in a statement.

Not everyone thinks she should have been there. (Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Not everyone thinks she should have been there. (Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

“It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way. It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory. We are demanding that it be removed from the site immediately.

“The petition has stirred up public hatred without any factual basis. It's appalling. No athlete who has represented their country at the Olympic Games should be treated in this way and we are supporting Dr Gunn and Anna Meares at this time.

Advert

“It's important that the community understands the facts and that people do not form opinions based on malicious untruths and misinformation.”

Featured Image Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images

Topics: Olympics, Australia, Social Media, Viral

Jess Battison
Jess Battison

Jess is a Senior Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include asking everyone in the office what they're having for tea, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021.

X

@jessbattison_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

13 mins ago
16 hours ago
17 hours ago
  • 13 mins ago

    Family of Air India victims speak out after they're 'stunned' by report explaining cause of devastating crash that killed 260

    A preliminary investigation into the tragedy suggested the fuel control switches were turned off

    News
  • 16 hours ago

    Doctor shows how much medicine costs in the US compared to the UK and Australia with shocking results

    Not all healthcare systems were created equal

    News
  • 17 hours ago

    Grim searches prosecutors say alleged killer made before he 'poisoned wife's protein shakes'

    Jurors will also be shown a video of the two arguing shortly before her death

    News
  • 17 hours ago

    Police preparing for 'Trump visit to UK' as protesters vow an ‘even bigger’ response than last time he came

    The US president is unlikely to get a warm welcome

    News
  • Raygun petition signed by 50,000 demanding 'apology' could be scrapped
  • Raygun petition signed by 50,000 asking for her to 'apologise' has been taken offline
  • Olympic breakdancer Raygun reveals true reason why she earned zero points at Paris games
  • Olympic star Raygun tipped for major career move after sport has been dropped for LA 2028 games