Tag: Lindsey Vonn

By GRAHAM DUNBAR ST. MORITZ, Switzerland — Lindsey Vonn says she won’t stop expressing her political views, though her main goal is regaining her Olympic downhill title. The ski star and Minnesota native told CNN in an interview that aired Thursday she would “absolutely not” visit the White House if the United States Olympic team gets a traditional post-games invitation. “I was asked my opinion and I gave it,” Vonn told reporters Friday at a World Cup race. “I mean, it’s not necessarily my place to be sticking my nose in politics, but as an athlete I do have a voice.” Looking ahead to the Feb. 9 through 25 Pyeongchang Winter Games in South Korea, Vonn told CNN she hoped “to represent the people of the United States, not the president.” Though Vonn did not mention President Donald Trump by name, the athlete activists she admired included Colin Kaepernick, she said Friday. The president has responded to the NFL quarterback by posting confrontational messages on Twitter. “There’s definitely been a lot of people that have made their voice heard and made a positive impact.” “I’m not trying to be negative in any way; I’m trying to be positive,” said the two-time Olympic medalist whose 77 World Cup race wins leads the women’s all-time list. “I want to represent our country well,” said the 33-year-old skier, who also has seven career world championships medals, including two gold. “I don’t think that there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that.” President Trump had not posted on Twitter about Vonn’s comments by Friday afternoon. When Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry said in September he did not want to visit the White House as the NBA champion, the president tweeted that the invitation was withdrawn. Pyeongchang will be Vonn’s fourth Olympics, the first since she won downhill gold and super-G bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games.