Cross-country skier Jessie Diggins of Afton, Minnesota celebrates with a flag during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
Matthias Hangst/Getty Images AsiaPac
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Matthias Hangst/Getty Images AsiaPac
MILAN — The Winter Olympics are set to open this Friday in Italy, about 4,600 miles from Minneapolis, the center of an uproar over the Trump administration’s hardline immigration enforcement tactics.
As American athletes turn their attention to the Games here, some — including several from Minnesota, home to some of Team USA’s biggest stars — have spoken out in the wake of the shooting deaths of two American citizens by federal agents in January.
“I want to make sure you know who I’m running for when I get to the starting line at the Olympics,” wrote cross-country skiing star and three-time Olympic medalist Jessie Diggins. In a statement she posted on her Instagram along with a photo of herself celebrating with the American flag at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing on Saturday.
The post continued, “I am running for the American people who stand for love, acceptance, compassion, honesty and respect for others. I do not stand for hate or violence or discrimination.” Diggins, 34, grew up in Afton, Minn., less than an hour’s drive from downtown Minneapolis. She is expected to compete in six cross-country events at the Olympics this month and could be in contention for medals in all of them.
The day after 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti was shot to death by Customs and Border Protection agents on a Minneapolis street, Team USA hockey player Kelly Pannek interrupted a post-game press conference for her professional team, the Minnesota Frost, to call aggressive immigration enforcement “unnecessary and horrific.”
“It’s obviously really heavy,” said Pannek, who is from the Minneapolis suburb of Plymouth, as her Frost teammate and fellow Team USA member Taylor Heise — another Minnesota native — nodded. “The thing I’m most proud to represent is the thousands of people who come to stand up and fight for what they believe in on some of the coldest days of the year.”
Other Olympians who are not from Minnesota, including snowboarders Stacey Gaskill of Denver And Bee Kim of Palos Verdes, Calif. has already spoken about the games. “The Olympics are more than just sports. They represent global unity and peace.” 19 year old Kim wrote In a post on Sunday. “Diversity is what makes the United States so special. It is woven into the fabric of our country.”
The Winter Olympian has joined a vocal group of prominent athletes who have spoken out about the Trump administration’s tactics in Minneapolis.
Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was part of Team USA’s gold medal run at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Wrote that Preeti was “murdered,” And three-time Olympic gold medalist Breanna Stewart held a sign that read “Abolish ICE” at a game in the 3-on-3 league Unrivalled last week. “I think when human life is at stake, it’s bigger than anything else,” he later said at a press conference.
In Milan, a hospitality venue for friends and family of Team USA athletes was renamed over the weekend and the word “ice” was removed from the name.
In a statement, the three governing bodies that operate the newly named “Winter House” said the new name would be better in line with the intent of the venue, which was originally called the “Ice House”.
“Our hospitality concept was designed to be a private space free of distractions, where athletes, their families and friends can come together to celebrate the unique experience of the Winter Games,” said a statement released by US Figure Skating, USA Hockey and US Speed Skating about the name change. “The name reflects that vision and connects to the season and event.”
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