US Olympians Speak Out: Political Protests Echo 1968 Games

Milan, Italy – A growing chorus of discontent is echoing through the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, as several prominent U.S. Athletes publicly grapple with the complexities of representing their nation amid deepening political divisions at home. The expressions of unease, reminiscent of the historic protest by Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Summer Games, have drawn sharp criticism from former President Donald Trump and a measured response from Vice President JD Vance.

Freestyle skiers Hunter Hess and Chris Lillas, along with champion skier Mikaela Shiffrin and snowboarder Chloe Kim, have voiced reservations about representing the United States given ongoing domestic issues, including a recent federal crackdown by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota and what they describe as the Trump administration’s continued attacks on immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities. “It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. Right now,” Hess stated during a press conference last week. “Just as I’m wearing the flag doesn’t imply I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

Trump responded swiftly to Hess’s comments via his Truth Social platform, labeling him “a real Loser” and questioning his commitment to the country. “He says he doesn’t represent his Country … If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too disappointing he’s on it. Very hard to root for someone like this,” Trump wrote.

Vice President Vance, attending the Games, acknowledged the athletes’ concerns during an interview with CNN, but cautioned that criticism should be expected. He stated, “You’re there to play a sport, you’re there to represent the country and hopefully win a medal… the way to bring the country together is not to show up in a foreign country and attack the president of the United States, but it’s to play your sport and to represent the country well.” Vance was reportedly booed by some spectators when displayed on the large screen during the opening ceremonies on February 6, according to the Associated Press.

The current situation draws parallels to the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists during the playing of the U.S. National anthem to protest racial injustice. The gesture, captured in one of the most enduring images of the 20th century, resulted in their expulsion from the Games and significant personal repercussions. George Roy, director of the HBO Max documentary “Fists of Freedom: The Story of the ’68 Summer Games,” noted the similarities, stating, “The similarities are it’s the Olympics and the United States, and in both cases We find athletes saying they wish they could be a little prouder given the current state of things.”

However, Roy also highlighted key differences between the two situations. “What Smith and Carlos did was so consequential because it affected them directly,” he explained. “They were protesting along with millions in their community. Their point was that they were great enough to represent their country. But when they got back to the real world, they would have trouble getting into restaurants or finding an apartment.”

Smith himself, in an interview featured in “Fists of Freedom,” clarified the intent behind the gesture. “As soon as the national anthem was playing, my glove is going toward God,” Smith said. “The Black fist in the air was only in recognition of those who had gone. It was a prayer of solidarity. It was a cry for help by my fellow brothers and sisters in the country who had been shot, who had been bitten by dogs … It was a cry for freedom.”

The response to Smith and Carlos’s protest at the time was sharply divided. Bob Paul, press secretary for the United States Olympic Committee in 1968, deemed their actions “wrong,” asserting the require for “due order, and decorum.” Veteran sportscaster Brent Musburger, writing for the Chicago American newspaper, dismissed the protest as a “juvenile gesture.”

As the Milano Cortina Games continue, it remains to be seen how the International Olympic Committee and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee will respond to the ongoing expressions of political dissent from their athletes. No official statement addressing the recent comments has been released.