Trump Comment Overshadows US Women's Olympic Achievements, Says Ice Hockey Captain
A comment by US President Donald Trump has been described as a "distasteful joke" by USA women's ice hockey captain Hilary Knight, who expressed concern that it has detracted from the accomplishments of female athletes at the Winter Olympics.
At the Milan-Cortina Games this month, the USA secured gold medals in both men's and women's ice hockey for the first time. Following the victories, the men's team received a congratulatory call from President Trump, who invited them to his State of the Union address. During the call, Trump remarked that he would have to invite the women's team as well or risk being "impeached." The women's team subsequently declined the invitation to attend the speech in Washington, DC, on Tuesday.
"It was sort of a distasteful joke, and unfortunately that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats," said five-time Olympic medallist Knight in an interview with ESPN.
The men's team faced criticism after several players appeared to laugh at Trump's comment. However, Knight emphasized the genuine support and respect between the teams, stating:
"I think there's a genuine level of support there and respect. That's being overshadowed by a quick lapse.
"The guys were in a tough spot, so I think it's a shame this storyline and narrative has kind of blown up and [is] overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering each other on."
In response to the controversy, US men's player Charlie McAvoy issued an apology on behalf of his team, clarifying their stance regarding the women's squad. Speaking before an NHL game on Thursday, the Boston Bruins player said:
"Certainly sorry for how we responded to it in that moment. Things just happened really quick there.
"If you know the men's team, and if you know the relationships that we have, the amount of time that we've spent with the women's team and how we've supported them, it's certainly not reflective of how we feel and look at them and their accomplishments."
Hilary Knight, aged 36, concluded her Olympic career with a total of 15 goals, the highest number scored by any US player, male or female. Reflecting on the incident, she expressed hope that the situation would serve as a learning opportunity regarding the discourse surrounding women in sports and other industries.
"Women aren't less than, and their achievements shouldn't be overshadowed by anything else other than how great they are," Knight stated.
US Women's Ice Hockey Gold Medal Victory
The US women's ice hockey team secured their gold medal with a comeback win over Canada, marking a significant achievement in the sport.
