() – He Olympic Committee of Australia (COA) has condemned an anonymous online petition regarding Rachael Gunn – the B-Girl known as Raygun whose performance went viral – saying it contains falsehoods about how she was selected to compete in the Paris Games.
Gunn, a 36-year-old university professor from Sydney, did not score any points in her battles against the American Logistx, the French Syssy and the Lithuanian Nicka, and lost 18-0 in each of them. Meanwhile, his performance sparked widespread comments and criticism on social media.
In a statement issued this Thursday, COA executive director Matt Carroll criticized the “vexatious, misleading and intimidating” petition that “contains numerous falsehoods designed to engender hatred against an athlete who was selected to the Australian Olympic team through a transparent and independent classification and nomination process.”
The petition, published on Sunday and addressed to the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese and to the COA, was published on Change.org. It alleges – without evidence – that Gunn “manipulated” the selection process, “raising serious questions about the fairness and integrity of the process.”
It also alleges that Gunn’s husband may have been part of the selection panel and calls on Gunn and Australia’s Olympic chef de mission Anna Meares to apologize for “misleading the Australian public and attempting to gas public opinion and undermine the efforts of authentic athletes.”
Gunn said in a instagram video that he didn’t realize that his action would “open the door to so much hate, which frankly has been quite devastating.”
He added: “I really appreciate the positivity and I’m glad I was able to bring some joy to your lives, that’s what I hoped for.”
Carroll said COA wrote to Change.org demanding that the petition be withdrawn immediately.
“The COA is particularly offended by the affront to our Chief of Mission, Anna Meares,” Carroll said. “The Australian Team Chef de Mission played no role in the qualifying events or the nomination of athletes to the COA Selection Committee, of which the Chef de Mission and I are members.”
“It is shameful that these falsehoods invented by an anonymous person can be published in this way. It amounts to intimidation and harassment, and is defamatory,” their statement added.
“The petition has incited public hatred without any factual basis. It’s atrocious. “No athlete who has represented their country at the Olympic Games should be treated this way and we are supporting Dr Gunn and Anna Meares right now.”
has contacted Change.org for further comment.
Gunn added in his Instagram video statement: “I would really like to ask the press to please stop harassing my family, my friends, the Australian breaking community and the wider street dance community.”
“Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask that you please respect their privacy.”
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