What might once have been a private athlete’s reflection instead escalated into a public confrontation between the president and his country’s Olympians. AdvertisementSeveral U.S. athletes moved to defend Hess, arguing that criticism of a competitor for voicing personal doubts cut against the country’s stated commitment to free speech. Advertisement“I choose to believe that I live in a country where people can express their opinions without backlash,” he said. U.S. Olympic cross-country skier Zak Ketterson had earlier called the backlash “pretty childish,” defending Hess’s right to speak openly. “That is true of athletes, that is of governors and it is true of presidents.

Source: Huffington Post February 11, 2026 16:10 UTC