American curler Rich Ruohonen spoke out about tensions in Minneapolis surrounding federal immigration enforcement in the wake of two deadly shootings of US residents, saying in a information convention Tuesday, “What’s happening in Minnesota is wrong.”
“I’m proud to be here to represent Team USA and to represent our country. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t at least mention what’s going on in Minnesota and what a tough time it’s been for everybody,” he stated to assembled reporters in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Ruohonen, 54, is a Minnesota native who at present lives in the northern Minneapolis suburbs.
“What’s happening in Minnesota is fallacious. There’s no shades of grey. It’s clear.
“I really love what’s been happening there now with people coming out, showing the love, the compassion, integrity and respect for others that they don’t know and helping them out. And we love Minnesota for that.”
Olympic skier Hunter Hess spoke out late final week, saying he had “mixed emotions representing the US right now” and “just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the US.”
As a end result, US President Donald Trump called Hess a “real loser” on Truth Social Sunday morning. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance stated Wednesday that US athletes competing in the Winter Olympics ought to “expect some pushback” in the event that they use their platforms to debate politics.
“You’re there to play a sport. And you’re there to represent your country and hopefully win a medal. You’re not there to pop off about politics,” Vance advised reporters.
Ruohonen, who is a lawyer by day, added on the information convention: “I need to make it clear that we’re out right here. We love our nation. We’re enjoying for the US. We’re enjoying for Team USA. And we’re enjoying for one another and we’re enjoying for our household and our pals that sacrificed a lot to get right here right this moment.
“What the Olympics means is excellence, respect, friendship. … We are playing for the people of Minnesota and the people around the country who show those, share those same values, that compassion, that love and that respect.”