Gus Kenworthy isn’t one to stay silent - on the slopes or off them. The Olympic freestyle skier, known for his fearless style and outspoken voice, is making headlines again, not for a trick in the halfpipe, but for taking a stand on something far bigger than sports.
Kenworthy recently posted a message on Instagram voicing his opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), encouraging followers to contact their senators as lawmakers debate immigration enforcement reforms.
The post quickly caught fire online - not just for its message, but for how it was delivered. In the snow, scrawled in bold letters: “f*** ICE.”
According to Kenworthy, the message was written in urine. Yes, you read that right.
While the delivery may have been unconventional, the reaction was all too familiar for athletes who speak up. Kenworthy said the response was a mixed bag - plenty of support, but also a wave of hate, including messages telling him to “kill himself” or “break his neck” while competing at the Winter Olympics. It’s a stark reminder of the backlash athletes can face when they use their platform to speak out on political and social issues.
“Maybe that’s the price you pay for speaking up and using your platform,” Kenworthy said in a follow-up video. But for him, the risk is worth it. “It’s important to stand up to injustice.”
This isn’t a new stance for Kenworthy. Born in England to a British mother and raised in the United States, he’s always had a unique perspective on national identity.
He won a silver medal for Team USA at the 2014 Winter Olympics but now competes for Great Britain - though he still lives in the U.S. That duality gives him a layered view of patriotism.
“You can love the U.S. and be proud to be an American - I am - and still think it can be better,” he said.
Kenworthy is currently competing in the freeski halfpipe at the Milan Cortina Games, but his focus clearly goes beyond medals. He’s been vocal about his disapproval of the current administration and, in particular, ICE, which he called “evil and awful and terrifying.”
He emphasized that many of the people targeted in immigration raids are nonviolent individuals who came to the U.S. seeking a better life - a narrative that echoes the country’s origin story.
“That is literally the foundation story of the U.S.,” he said. “I think people forget that.”
Kenworthy’s not just carving lines through the snow - he’s drawing lines in the sand. And whether you agree with him or not, he’s proving once again that athletes aren’t just competitors.
They’re citizens, too. And sometimes, they’re willing to take the hits that come with speaking their truth.