Rachael Gunn, the Australian breakdancer whose appearance at the Paris Olympics attracted much attention, mostly critical, has described the response to her performance as “pretty devastating”.
In her first public statement since the Games the B-Girl, who performs as Raygun, also called for an end to the harassment of “family, my friends, the Australian breaking community, and the broader street dance community,.
She added: “Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this so I ask you to please respect their privacy.”
Her video statement, released via social media, came soon after the Australian Olympic Committee slammed an online petition attacking her as “vexatious, misleading and bullying”.
More than 40,000 people have signed an anonymous Change.org petition claiming Gunn had “manipulated” Olympic qualification processes after the breakdancer went viral for her no-points display at the recent Paris Games.
Gunn referred people to the AOC statement, which refutes those allegations, in her Instagram post.
She thanked supporters but added she did not realise her entry “would also open the door to so much hate which has frankly been pretty devastating.
“While I went out there and had fun, I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics and I gave my all, truly.”
The breaker added she was remaining in Europe for a few weeks and would “be happy to answer more questions on my return to Australia.”
Gunn lost all three of her round-robin battles by a combined score of 54-0, prompting a hostile response to her performance and appearance online and in some mainstream media.
The petition claims the 36-year-old set up her own governing body for breakdancing to qualify for the Games, misused funding and demanded an apology from her and Paris chef de mission Anna Meares.
AOC chief Matt Carroll blasted the petition and demanded it be taken down.
“It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way,” Carroll said in a statement released on Thursday.
“It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory. We are demanding that it be removed from the site immediately.
“The petition has stirred up public hatred without any factual basis. It’s appalling.
“No athlete who has represented their country at the Olympic Games should be treated in this way and we are supporting Dr Gunn and Anna Meares at this time.
“It’s important that the community understands the facts and that people do not form opinions based on malicious untruths and misinformation.”
Online users have also claimed Gunn’s husband Samuel Free was a judge at the Olympics qualifying event and is a national team selector.
The AOC clarified in a statement the qualifying event held in Sydney in October 2023 was conducted by the sport’s international governing body World DanceSport Federation, as approved by the International Olympic Committee.
The judging panel was selected by the WDSF and consisted of nine independent international judges, the AOC said.
The AOC reiterated Gunn’s husband Free is a coach who holds no position with breakdancing’s national governing body AUSBreaking or DanceSport Australia in any capacity.
Gunn was “legitimately nominated” by DanceSport Australia to the committee after winning the qualifying event and has no responsibility for any funding decisions in the sport, the AOC added.
The AOC also made it clear Meares was not involved in the qualifying event or nomination of athletes and the sport did not receive any federal government funding.
DanceSport Australia did receive funding from the AOC for breaking.
