Our Olympians Are Being Put in an Impossible Position
The Atlantic
February 20, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The article highlights a challenging situation faced by American athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, where they are being pressured to represent their country amid growing political tensions and social unrest back home. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) promotes the idea of the Games as a neutral, apolitical space, but U.S. athletes are increasingly caught between expressing personal discomfort with government actions and upholding national pride. This tension has led to public clashes, such as President Trump's criticism of freestyle skier Hunter Hess for voicing his disapproval of certain policies, and conservative figures like Vice President Vance and Representative Tim Burchett calling on athletes to focus solely on their sports rather than speaking out.
The article notes that several athletes have expressed discomfort with the current political climate. For instance, Chris Lillis, a gold medalist, shared his heartbreak over ICE actions in Minnesota, while figure skater Amber Glenn, who identifies as pansexual, spoke about the challenges faced by the LGBTQ community under Trump's presidency. Her comments sparked backlash, including homophobic remarks on social media, leading her to take a break from online engagement. Meanwhile, President Vance defended athletes' right to face criticism for speaking out, despite being booed during the opening ceremony in Milan.
The article underscores the broader issue of America's declining international reputation under the Trump administration. Many global observers are troubled by U.S. actions, such as threats to invade Greenland, the capture of Venezuelan President Maduro, and fatal shootings by immigration agents. These concerns were evident when hundreds of Italians protested the presence of ICE at the Olympics. The article also references historical moments like the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where athletes used the platform to highlight social injustices, emphasizing that politics have long been intertwined with sports.
The crux of the issue lies in the conflict between the IOC's stated mission to keep politics out of the Games and the reality that athletes are increasingly seen as representatives of their countries' policies. The article argues that it is the administration's actions, not the athletes' comments, that have made it difficult for them to defend or represent the U.S. This situation raises important questions about the role of athletes in addressing political and social issues, both on and off the field
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Originally published on The Atlantic on 2/20/2026