'Defamatory' Raygun petition taken down, as Australian Olympic chief condemns 'pile-on' (2024)

KEY POINTS
  • Australia's Olympic breaker Raygun has thanked her supporters but said the hate received has been "devastating".
  • She broke her silence after a now-removed petition made accusations described as "defamatory" against her.
  • Raygun's performance at the Paris Games last week drew praise and ridicule and quickly became a meme online.

A petition making "defamatory" accusations against Australian breaker Rachael Gunn has been taken down after the Olympian addressed the controversy surrounding her performance at the Paris Games.

The Change.org petition, launched on Thursday, accused Gunn, better known by her moniker Raygun, of setting up her own governing body for breakdancing to qualify for the Games and misusing funding.

Its removal came after Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) CEO Matt Carroll on Thursday labelled the petition "defamatory" and said it amounted to "bullying and harassment". He demanded it be removed immediately and said the organisation would consider legal action if it wasn't.

Speaking to ABC News Breakfast on Friday, Carroll said the "pile-on and petition was a fabrication of mistruths".

'Defamatory' Raygun petition taken down, as Australian Olympic chief condemns 'pile-on' (1)

Australian Olympic Committee CEO Matt Carroll has labelled an online petition targeting breaking competitor Rachael Gunn as "defamatory". Source: AAP

"She was legitimately selected to the Australian Olympic team with the full support of her sport in a process that was covered by the international world dance federation, by the local dance sport in Australia and all legitimately done," Carroll said.

Australia's Olympic chef de mission Anna Meares, who

has defended Gunn previously

, was also named in the petition and, along with Gunn, is accused of manipulating the selection process.

The AOC clarified in a statement that the qualifying event held in Sydney in October 2023 was conducted by the sport's international governing body, the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), as approved by the International Olympic Committee.

The AOC said the judging panel was selected by the WDSF and consisted of nine independent international judges.

Gunn was "legitimately nominated" by DanceSport Australia to the committee after winning the qualifying event and has no responsibility for any funding decisions in the sport, the AOC added.

The AOC also made it clear Meares was not involved in the qualifying event or nomination of athletes, and the sport did not receive any federal government funding.

DanceSport Australia did receive funding from the AOC for breaking.

Raygun breaks silence over Olympics controversy

Gunn, a 36-year-old

Australian academic

and b-girl,

took the internet by storm

after competing at the Paris Games a week ago, at which breakdancing made its Olympics debut.

Her performance, which included moves such as the now-famous 'kangaroo hop', quickly went viral online and drew both praise and ridicule.

She was eliminated during the group stage after scoring zero in three breaking battles.

In a video message posted to social media on Thursday night, Gunn said she gave the Olympics her all and that some of the "hate" she has received has been "pretty devastating".

"I'm glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives," Gunn said.

"I didn't realise that would also open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating."

Gunn said she had worked her "butt off" preparing for the Olympics and was "honoured" to have been a part of the Australian team.

"I gave my all, truly," she said, adding that what other athletes had achieved was "phenomenal".

She said "allegations and misinformation" had emerged but did not reference the petition, and instead pointed to statements in support of her including by the AOC.

Gunn said she would be in Europe for some "pre-planned downtime" over the next few weeks.

"I'd really like to ask the press to please stop harassing my family, my friends, the Australian breaking community, and the broader street dance community," she said in her video.

"Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask you to please respect their privacy."

'Defamatory' Raygun petition taken down, as Australian Olympic chief condemns 'pile-on' (2)

Gunn's Paris Olympics performance went viral online, drawing both praise and ridicule. Source: AAP / Dan Himbrechts

Gunn previously told the Australian Associated Press that she knew she would struggle to match the athletic ability of her rivals, so she tried to be more creative.

"I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best, the dynamic and the power moves, so I wanted to move differently, be artistic and creative because how many chances do you get that in a lifetime to do that on an international stage," she said last week.

"I was always the underdog and wanted to make my mark in a different way."

Her performance was backed by Olympic breaking judge Martin Gilian, who said she brought originality and unique moves to the stage.

"Breaking is all about originality and bringing something new to the table and representing your country or region," Gilian said at a press conference on Sunday.

"This is exactly what Raygun was doing. She got inspired by her surroundings, which in this case, for example, was a kangaroo."

Breaking will not return for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

With reporting by the Australian Associated Press

'Defamatory' Raygun petition taken down, as Australian Olympic chief condemns 'pile-on' (2024)

FAQs

'Defamatory' Raygun petition taken down, as Australian Olympic chief condemns 'pile-on'? ›

Its removal came after Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) CEO Matt Carroll on Thursday labelled the petition "defamatory" and said it amounted to "bullying and harassment". He demanded it be removed immediately and said the organisation would consider legal action if it wasn't.

What did Rachael Gunn do? ›

Gunn gained media attention after competing in breaking at the 2024 Summer Olympics, the sport's debut at the Games. She received a score of zero in battles against three opponents and did not progress past the first round. After her performance, Gunn became the subject of widespread criticism and online bullying.

What was the controversy with the Olympics? ›

Cheating, such as the use of performance enhancing drugs by athletes, has regularly affected the Olympic Games. Some countries have boycotted the Games on various occasions, either as a protest against the International Olympic Committee or the contemporary politics of other participants.

Was that Australian break dancer for real? ›

Australian breakdancer Rachel Gunn, known as "Raygun," faced intense scrutiny after losing all three of her round robin battles at the Olympics. Her unique dance moves became the focus of memes and jokes, causing a wave of backlash.

How did Raygun get picked for the Olympics? ›

Eventually though, Gunn became the face of breaking in Australia – a top-ranked B-girl and an academic with a PhD in the cultural politics of the sport. And at an Olympics qualifying event in Sydney last October, where 15 women from across Oceania competed, Raygun emerged triumphant and booked her ticket to Paris.

What is the biggest scandal in Olympic history? ›

In one of the biggest scandals in sports history, Nancy Kerrigan was physically attacked on January 6, 1994, which put her at risk of never skating again. At the time, she was the top ice skater in the US and a gold medal hopeful for the 1994 Winter Olympics, The New York Times reported.

What is the Olympic controversy in 2024? ›

Many argued that Israeli athletes should be banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from participating in the 2024 Olympics because of their country's ongoing offensive against Gaza, similar to the procedure applied to Russian athletes over the Ukraine war.

Who got disqualified from the Olympics in 2024? ›

Vinesh Phogat was disqualified for being overweight ahead of what would have been a historic final in the women's 50kg event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. En route to the final, Vinesh pulled off the biggest win of her career after she defeated the defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the opening round.

Was Rayguns' husband a selector? ›

Her husband was not a judge or involved in the Olympics selection process. AAP FACTCHECK – Breaker Rachael 'Raygun' Gunn secured her place on the Australian Olympic team because her husband was the national selector and a judge at the qualifying event. This is false.

Who is Raygun Break's dancer? ›

Artist Darren Pearson created an animation of Rachel Gunn, also known as “Raygun,” as a tribute to the B-girl who went viral for her unorthodox dance moves. Others called her an insult to the spirit of the Olympic Games and demanded that she be held accountable for “stealing an Olympic seat.”

Who is the Australian breakdancer with a PhD? ›

Gunn, a professor from Sydney who holds a PhD in cultural studies, lost all of her three round-robin battles with a score of 54-0, drawing backlash for the lack of points and mockery over some of her moves in her routine, including a "kangaroo dance." It was even made fun of on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."

Who is Raygun? ›

Rachael Gunn, known as "Raygun," is an Australian B-girl (break-girl) who competed at the Olympics. She lost three battles in the round-robin part of the competition, but her moves went viral online. Gunn and sporting organizations are speaking out about harassment and misinformation after her performance.

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