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| Amber Glenn and Gus Kenworthy |
The Team GB freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy says he has received death threats and messages hoping that he breaks his neck after posting an image apparently showing him urinating “fuck ICE” in the snow last week.
Kenworthy, who has lived in America for most of his life, also doubled down on his criticisms of the US immigration and customs enforcement agency, calling them “absolutely evil and awful and terrifying”.
Hunter Hess of Team USA poses for a photo on the podium after finishing in second place in the Aspen Snowmass Men's Freeski Halfpipe Finals during the Toyota US Grand Prix 2026 at Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort on January 10, 2026 in Aspen, Colorado.
Trump calls Hunter Hess ‘a real loser’ for skier’s ambivalence about representing US
It is understood that while Kenworthy is not yet in Livigno, where he will compete next week, the British Olympic Association has already put support services in place for the 34-year-old, including for threats and abuse via social media.
Kenworthy’s latest came in a post on Instagram on Sunday night, in which he said that he had received a lot of supportive comments for his remarks on ICE, but some had been “awful”.
“People telling me to kill myself, threatening me, wishing they’ll get to see me blow my knee or break my neck during my event, calling me slurs … it’s insane,” he said.
Kenworthy, who won silver in ski slopestyle at the 2014 Winter Olympics when representing the US before switching in 2019 to represent Great Britain, also praised the Americans Hunter Hess and Mikaela Schiffrin for speaking out against the Trump administration.
“Maybe this video is just going to invite more hate and vitriol but I think it’s important to say what we feel and stand up for what we believe in and stand up to injustice,” he said. “And I’ve been really proud seeing other athletes doing that: Hunter Hess, Michaela Schifrin (sic). I think it’s inspiring and it’s important.
“I think sometimes people forget that you can love the US and be proud to be an American – I am – and still think they can be better and just because you love the US doesn’t mean you stand with this administration.”
“Because I don’t and I do not support ICE. And I think it’s absolutely evil and awful and terrifying. There have been US citizens that have been murdered in the street, executed in the street. And the officers are essentially acting with impunity because their identities are covered. There’s no accountability. It’s really scary.”
The Guardian
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| Gus Kenworthy won five medals at the X Games |
Bobbie JacksonBBC Sport journalist
BBC
Team GB skier Gus Kenworthy says he has received death threats after posting a graphic message about the United States' Immigration and Customs Enforcement organisation - commonly known as ICE.
Kenworthy shared the image - in which 'ICE' was preceded by an expletive - on Instagram a week before he was due to compete at the Winter Olympics in Italy.
The 34-year-old was born in Chelmsford but grew up in America and won silver in the ski slopestyle at the Sochi 2014 Games, before switching allegiance to Team GB in 2019.
In a new post on Instagram, Kenworthy said there had been a lot of "encouraging" support but that he has also received death threats.
"The other day I posted a photo with my thoughts on ICE and that photo has since gone everywhere - and I've gotten a tonne of messages and most of them honestly have been supportive and encouraging," Kenworthy said in a video., external
"But a lot of the messages have been awful, people telling me to kill myself, threatening me, wishing they'll get to see me blow my knee or break my neck during my event, calling me slurs... it's insane."
The British Olympic Association (BOA) told BBC Sport: "Team GB takes athlete welfare seriously and has support services in place for athletes, including specifically where there are threats and abuse via social media. All Team GB athletes are offered this on a proactive basis."
Kenworthy will feature in the men's snowboard halfpipe event, with qualifying beginning on 19 February in Livigno, Italy.
Protests have taken place across the US over the past few weeks after intensive care nurse Alex Pretti, 37, and fellow Minnesota resident Renee Good, 37, were both killed by ICE agents in the city in January.
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