Some of the top skiers from the U.S. have backed out of the Alpine skiing team event at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, including Lindsey Vonn, and Twitter users have attacked them for it.
This is the first time this team competition is part of the Olympics, and Team USA fans at home were hoping the U.S. would at least be competitive. But without Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin and Ted Ligety, the team will be without any marquee names. Vonn pulled out of the event after Shiffrin and Ligety.
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“I was an absolute no before but I was thinking about it,” Vonn said Monday, reports Reuters. “But now Ted’s gone and Mikaela is not doing it and so I don’t really think we have a strong chance of getting a medal since none of our top athletes are doing it so I probably won’t.”
Americans are not the only skiiers leaving Pyeongchang early to skip the event. Austria’s Marcel Hirscher, who already won two gold medals, will not take part. He thought competing would hurt his chances to win another World Cup title. Speed racers Askel Hund Sindval and Kjetil Jansrud of Norway left for Europe early.
“It would be a big honor to start for Austria but… it is not possible,” said Hischer, who will compete in the men’s slalom on Thursday. “If you do the team event, four days later you are back in Europe at Kranjska Gora in the giant slalom, no time for preparation, no time for recovery, no time for getting used to European time. So, it would be great to be there but if I’m professional, it is not possible.”
The Alpine skiing team event will include 16 teams who are eliminated in knockout rounds before they reach one last round to win gold.
Despite concerns from the athletes, Twitter users blasted them for not being competitive.
“But now Ted’s Home and Mikaela is not doing it and so I don’t really think we have a strong chance of getting a medal since none of our top athletes are doing it so probably I won’t.” -Lindsey Vonn (SUCH #OLYMPIC SPIRIT! Im so proud of our clique of cool kids on the ski team 🙄)
— RCD (@RobsRcd) February 19, 2018
LINDSEY VONN A DISGRACE TO THE AMERICAN WOMENS TEAM LOSER!! Thank Our Lucky Charms Lindsey Vonn LOSER will Never Compete for USA ANYMORE!! 💪🏾🇺🇸 https://t.co/EwTmOjpwOT
— Rudy NinerMan (@ira4t9eryahoo) February 19, 2018
So Ted Ligety and Lindsay Vonn want to pull out of team events because they don’t have a chance to win a medal. Great message for the kids in America: “Can’t win, give up”
— Der Mask (@askdermask) February 19, 2018
As if the rest of the world doesn’t think we’re douchey enough, you two wads pull this shit. Way to go. pic.twitter.com/qHuwur9j5l
We won’t see some great alpine skiers during Team Event on saturday. Marcel Hirscher is not going to join Austria team, Lindsey Vonn and Ted Ligety also resigned, and maybe even Mikaela Shiffrin will say “goodbye” #Pyeongchang2018 right after alpine combined. That’s a pity.
— Marek Cielec (@marek_cs) February 19, 2018
The U.S. Ski Team will announce the four skiiers on the Alpine team Monday night at 9 p.m. ET after the last training runs, reports NBC Sports.
Shiffrin already won gold at the Ladies’ Giant Slalom individual event. Nick Goepper won silver in Men’s Ski Slopestyle and Chris Mazdzer won silver in Men’s Singles. Team USA has also won four gold medals in snowboarding events.
Photo Credit: Instagram/ Lindsey Vonn
