Heated Rivalry star slams Olympic hockey team for Trump meet: ‘No allies there’
Harrison Browne had his say on the men’s Winter Olympics team (Crave | Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Former hockey pro and Heated Rivalry star Harrison Browne has criticised USA Hockey after the US men’s team celebrated their Winter Olympics win with Donald Trump and appeared to laugh along as he mocked the women’s team.
In a video posted to social media, Browne said there were “no allies in that room”, accusing players of failing to stand up for their female counterparts despite both teams winning gold at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
READ MORE: Team USA hockey player Jack Hughes proves he’s LGBTQ+ ally in unearthed clip
The men’s team has faced backlash for attending political events following their victory, while members have downplayed the controversy, saying critics were “trying to make something out of almost nothing”.
Browne pushed back on that response, urging male athletes to recognise the broader impact of political moments on women, LGBTQ+ people and other marginalised communities, adding: “Just don’t bring this into the sport and wonder why people are mad.”
The women’s team formally declined the invitation, citing “previously scheduled academic and professional commitments”.
Men’s team star player Jack Hughes said he and his team mates were “super excited” to get the invitation to the White House, “no matter what your views are” when it comes to politics.
However five of the 25 players did not attend. They were Brock Nelson, Jake Oettinger, Jake Guentzel, Kyle Connor and Jackson LaCombe, though their reasoning for not attending has not been confirmed, with suggestions that they had conflicting commitments already scheduled.
Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.
