reaction

History is once again unfolding at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games as Team USA members break records and score dominant triumphs.

But as the Games move into their second week, a different and more provocative history is starting to repeat itself, casting a politically charged shadow over the event.

Champion skier Mikaela Shiffrin, snowboarder Chloe Kim, and freestyle skiers Hunter Hess and Chris Lillas are among the top athletes who have been vocal about their uneasiness in representing their home country during a period of deep political crisis revolving several volatile issues, including the violent federal crackdown in Minnesota by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and the Trump administration’s attacks nationwide on immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community.

“It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now,” Hess said at a press conference last week. “Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

Trump blasted Hess’ comments in a Truth Social post, calling him “a real Loser,” adding, “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 bad he’s on it. Very hard to root for someone like this.”

Commenting on the athletes in an interview with CNN, Vice President JD Vance, who was attending the Games, said the athletes who are critical should expect “some pushback.”

Vance, who was booed when he was shown on a large screen during the opening ceremonies, added, “You’re there to play a sport, you’re there to represent the country and hopefully win a medal. Most Olympic athletes, whatever their politics, are doing a great job, certainly enjoy the support of the entire country, and I think recognize that 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.”

Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan on Feb. 6. Vance said athletes should expect pushback if they criticize the country.

(Natacha Pisarenko/AP)

The outspokenness of the Winter Olympic athletes echoes a dramatic protest by Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos which electrified the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City. The sprinters, who placed first and third respectively in the 200 meter race, spoke not with words but with black-gloved raised fists on the victory stand, producing one of the most iconic images in Olympic history.

As the national anthem played following their victories, Smith and Carlos expressed their anger about racial injustice in America by bowing their heads and raising their fists. The gesture provoked a seismic reaction internationally while infuriating Olympic officials who claimed Smith and Carlos used the world stage to humiliate their home country.

Smith and Carlos’ salute to Black Power is explored in HBO Max’s documentary “Fists of Freedom: The Story of the ’68 Summer Games.” The 1999 Peabody Award-winning film chronicles the fiery moment and its aftermath for Smith and Carlos, who earned both heroic praise and pointed condemnation.

George Roy, who produced and directed “Fists of Freedom,” said “there are similarities between what happened in 1968 and what’s going on now. The similarities are it’s the Olympics and the United States, and in both cases there are athletes saying they wish they could be a little prouder given the current state of things.”

U.S. athletes Tommie Smith, center, and John Carlos, right, hold their fists up in protest after winning medals at the 1968 Summer Olympic games.

(AP)

However, Roy, who has won multiple Emmys and is the founder of Jersey Line Films, added that there are marked differences.

“What Smith and Carlos did was so consequential because it affected them directly,” he said. “They were protesting along with millions in their community. Their point was that they were good 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.”

He added, “It was just more personal than what is happening now.”

In an interview included in the documentary, Smith said the gesture by him and Carlos was often misinterpreted.

“As soon as the national anthem was playing, my glove is going toward God,” said Smith. “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.”

He added, “I don’t like the idea of people looking at it as negative. It was nothing but a raised fist in the air and a bowed head to the American flag. Not symbolizing a hatred for it.”

Though he heard cheers, he also heard boos and jeers.

“Fists of Freedom” contains several interviews from sports and media figures who were present or covered the proceedings and had strong opinions about the gesture.

Bob Paul, who was the press secretary for the United States Olympic Committee in 1968, said, “[Smith and Carlos] were wrong. You are supposed to observe due order and decorum to the nth degree at every victory ceremony.”

Veteran TV sportscaster Brent Musburger, who at the time was a columnist with the Chicago American newspaper, wrote: “Airing one’s dirty laundry before the entire world during a fun and games tournament was no more than a juvenile gesture. Smith and Carlos looked like a couple of Black-skinned storm troopers.”

Incensed, Olympic committee head Avery Brundage ordered the sprinters to be expelled from the Games.

Despite the uproar, experts said the salute by Smith and Carlos was a defining moment for Black people, galvanizing the Civil Rights Movement. However, the two men encountered personal and professional difficulties when they returned home.

Both Smith and Carlos have participated in speaking engagements in recent years. They could not be reached for comment.

“We’re not Antichrists,” said Smith in “Fists of Freedom.” “We’re just human beings who saw a need to be recognized.”

WHEN Katie Price got married to Lee Andrews at breakneck speed, just days after they began dating, her loyal fans were left bewildered. 

For her family, the reaction has been even more stark. Here, insiders tell us how Pricey’s son Junior responded to the Dubai nuptials – and why her closest ally, sister Sophie, has been left reeling as concern for the mother- of-five reaches an all-time high. 

Hours after revealing her extravagant engagement, The Sun told how Katie and Lee had in fact got hitched with none of her family there. Her fourth marriage took place less than a week after she had met Lee. 

It was an unusually quiet ceremony for the former glamour model . An officiator was seen in front of the pair reading from a script as Katie, who wore a £12 dress from Shein, said her vows.

She gushed about how happy she was, telling fans: “All I can say is ‘fatale’, and this was a wedding at First Sight.”

Yet celebratory messages from her nearest and dearest have not been forthcoming, despite Price, 47, returning to the UK earlier this week without Lee, 43, who has since been accused of being a ‘swindler’.

There’s only so much Katie’s kids can take. It is really not fair.

Insider

One source said: “It’s just another day on Planet Katie, and everyone has to deal with the consequences.

“She will always have a close bond with her children, but there’s only so much they can take. It is really not fair.” 

Her son Junior, 20, has refrained from posting to his half a million Instagram followers in the days following the whirlwind wedding – which is not legally binding. 

And it is not only Junior’s fans who have got the silent treatment from the singer.

Rather tellingly, we have been told that the rapper, who is “very close” to dad Peter and stepmum Dr Emily, has not contacted his mother to offer his congratulations on her marriage to Andrews. 

A source said: “Junior is used to Katie’s increasingly erratic behaviour, but even this took him by surprise.

“He is so fed up with his mum’s constant dramas. He wants no part in it. He’s hardly going to send a congratulations message about a bloke he hasn’t even met.”

But while Junior is more resilient, sister Princess, 18, has given clues to her hurt feelings, taking to TikTok in the days following her mum’s wedding ceremony to post two emotional videos on the social media platform, including one featuring a tearful girl.

Sophie is understandably horrified by it all. It’s been incredibly draining for her. The sisters are incredibly close so it was very hard for Sophie not to know what was going on. 

Insider

The writing on top of the clip reads: “I feel everything very deeply” with an accompanying voiceover on top of the clip that says: “I’m such an incredibly, stupidly, sensitive person that everything that happens to me I feel everything really intensely.”

Another featured a teen girl getting into bed and wiping tears from her eyes as she lets out a sigh.

The writing on top reads: “When the smallest thing upsets me, and now I have to be non-verbal and easily irritated for hours until I can let it go”.

Insiders say that despite the cryptic posts it is unlikely that Princess, who remains close to her mother, will publicly condemn her. But a pal of the star confided: “It is so selfish to create all this drama just before Princess is about to launch series two of The Princess Diaries. This should be her turn in the spotlight. Not her mums.”

In recent years as Katie’s fame has dwindled, she has become increasingly reliant on her younger half-sister Sophie, 36, who has devoted a large part of her life to looking after her.

Despite managing the wayward reality star, organising much of her chaotic life, and co-hosting a podcast together, Sophie was not invited to Katie’s wedding.

An insider said: “Sophie is understandably horrified by it all. It’s been incredibly draining for her. The sisters are incredibly close so it was very hard for Sophie not to know what was going on. 

“They were due to record a podcast like normal this week, but at the last minute, they decided not to go ahead.

Their mum is utterly beside herself with worry.

“Sophie felt the need to say sorry to her fans, while Katie kept silent. It is quite typical of their relationship that Sophie is the one picking up the slack, and she’s honestly struggling with it at the moment. It has caused tension between the siblings, with Sophie just desperate for Katie to be ok. 

“Their mum is utterly beside herself with worry – they have all been through so much with Katie, but thought the worst was over in recent years.

“They don’t believe Lee is the man he said he was and are just waiting for Katie to click. It was a huge relief when he did a U-turn on coming to the UK. Sophie was not ready to meet him and deal with all that.”

Sophie made her feelings very clear on the situation today as she shared a picture of the countryside and wrote: “This and never stepping foot in Dubai.”

Last night, Sophie took to social media to explain what was happening to the podcast.

Looking exhausted, she said: “Hi guys, how are you all? I know you’ve all been chomping at the bit to find out what has been going on. All our DMs have been going off,” she began in her video address.

“Let’s just say, it’s been one hell of a week. We have done over a 100 episodes of the podcast, which sounds absolutely nuts when it’s just me and Kate doing our b*s chat.

“We will be back next week as normal, and we will be able to update you guys on what’s been going on. It will be business as usual.”

Such was the emotion on display that one commentator posted: “’You are a good sister. Hope you’re ok, Sophie, you look like you’re holding back tears”

Sophie has always been outspoken about Katie’s relationships, while trying to be as supportive as possible.

Just a couple of weeks ago, she expressed her horror when Katie announced she was looking for a Richard Gere type.

She retorted: “Absolutely not, you need a break, you need time to yourself’.”

Katie completely ignored her, and when she announced her engagement, she gushed about finding her ‘real life Richard Gere’. The film is, of course, about a wealthy gentleman who sweeps a prostitute off her feet. 

The sisters –  who have an 11-year age gap- have talked in the past about being “like chalk and cheese”.

Sophie was just six years old when her big sister found fame, meaning that she doesn’t remember a time when Katie wasn’t in the spotlight.

However, Katie’s fame made her a target at school – and she was bullied by cruel classmates.

She recalled: “It was just girls saying nasty things, when you’re a teenager… You know what girls can be like.”

Yet a beautiful relationship blossomed, with the sisters becoming firm friends and podcast favourites.

But after the latest cruel snub, it might be a while before fans get a new episode of the podcast.