Australia's Rachel Gunn, a breakdancer by the name of RayGun, has addressed the backlash she received online regarding her Olympic performance. RayGun received a score of zero each time she danced on the Olympic stage. Gunn, 36, posted a video to her social media Thursday to thank her supporters and comment on the criticism. "I really appreciate the positivity, and I’m glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives; that’s what I hoped," said Gunn. “I didn’t realize that would also open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating.”“While I went out there and I had fun, I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics, and I gave my all, truly.".Gunn’s shockingly average performance at the Paris 2024 Games went viral, with multiple netizens questioning whether she should have qualified. Gunn is an academic with a PhD in “cultural movement” — there has been widespread criticism she was expedited into the Olympics to further her academic career. .An anonymous Change.Org petition was launched against Gunn and Olympic chef de mission Anna Meares Thursday, raising questions about the selection process that qualified RayGun for the Games. .Footage of the dancers RayGun beat to qualify for the Olympics has circulated on social media, showing much more skilled performers.. It garnered 45,000 signatures. However, after the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) condemned the petition in a letter to the platform as “disgraceful” and demanding it to be taken down, Change.Org “flagged (it) for misinformation” and it was removed, the Guardian reported. AOC Chair Matt Carroll said the petition was based on false grounds and “designed to engender hatred”. “It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way. It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory,” said Carroll..“It’s important that the community understands the facts and that people do not form opinions based on malicious untruths and misinformation.”Change.org said it “maintains strict guidelines against content that constitutes harassment, bullying, or spreading false information.”“We take such matters seriously and remove any content that violates these standards to protect our users and uphold the integrity of our community,” wrote the platform in a statement to the Guardian.
