She went viral for questionable dance moves in her routine, which included one dubbed the “kangaroo dance”, as the 36-year-old Sydney university professor failed to score a single point.
Image: Australia’s Rachael Gunn failed to score a point in the competition. Pic: AP
Ms Gunn was subsequently heavily criticised, and parodies of her performance were even played out on late-night TV in the US.
Previously, Australian team chef de mission Anna Meares defended Ms Gunn, but the AOC has now gone a step further.
This, they say, is in light of false and erroneous stories about Ms Gunn circulating online, including a “vexatious, misleading and bullying” petition.
AOC chief executive officer Matt Carroll said they had written to change.org, which published the petition criticising Ms Gunn and the AOC, demanding it be withdrawn.
More on Paris 2024 Olympics
Mr Carroll said the petition “contained numerous falsehoods designed to engender hatred against an athlete who was selected in the Australian Olympic team through a transparent and independent qualification event and nomination process.”
“It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way,” Mr Carroll added.
He continued: “It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory.
“We are demanding that it be removed from the site immediately.
“No athlete who has represented their country at the Olympic Games should be treated in this way.”
X
This content is provided by X, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable X cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to X cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow X cookies for this session only.
The petition, which was started on 12 August, has already amassed over 45,000 signatures.
Recent online criticism has included allegations that the Oceania qualifying event, held in Sydney last October, was set up to favour Ms Gunn, and it questioned the judging which allowed her to qualify.
But the AOC strongly rebuked this, saying on Thursday that the event was conducted under the Olympic qualification system determined by the international governing body, World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) and approved by the International Olympic Committee.
It said the judging panel for the event was selected by the WDSF and consisted of nine independent international judges.
Unattributed social media comments also suggested Gunn and her husband, fellow breaker Samuel Free, had held positions within Australian breaking organisations and had qualified at the expense of others.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
0:56
Why is breakdancing an Olympic sport?
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The UK economy grew 0.6% over three months, official figures show. But there was no growth at all in June, the Office for National Statistics said, as businesses delayed purchases until after the general election. Money blog: Aldi axes click and collect "In a range of industries across the economy, businesses stated that customers were delaying placing orders until the outcome of the election was known," the ONS said, though added […]
Post comments (0)