The Stunt
Just before the opening of the 2026 Winter Games, Gus Kenworthy used fresh snow as a message board. He reportedly urinated letters into the snow to spell an obscene phrase aimed at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He photographed the result and shared it online. Then he told followers to use a prepared script to contact their senators. It was attention getting by design.
The Message
Kenworthy paired the photo with a direct call to action. He urged Americans to call senators and oppose any Department of Homeland Security funding deal that does not limit ICE and Border Patrol powers. He offered a scripted pitch about warrantless arrests and sensitive locations. Whether you agree with the goal or the method, this was political advocacy dressed up as a prank.
Rules, Jurisdiction, and No Penalty
The International Olympic Committee did not punish him. Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter limits political demonstrations in venues. The IOC said the act took place outside official Olympic sites and the post was on his personal social media. So the moment fell outside the rule book the IOC enforces inside its sites. Bureaucracies love neat exceptions that save them from making a call.
Protests in Milan
The stunt was not isolated. Demonstrators in Milan carried banners with similar slogans and called for ICE agents to be kept away from Olympic sites. Organizers raised broader civil liberty and immigration concerns. Security teams, local officials, and activists all have different priorities. When international events land in politically charged moments, symbolic acts like this become part of the spectacle.
Who Is Gus Kenworthy?
Kenworthy was born in England and grew up in Colorado. He competed for Team USA in 2014 and 2018 and switched to Team Great Britain in 2022. He has used his platform before to criticize governments and raise social issues. That track record makes the stunt less of a surprise. Public figures choose public protests. The public then chooses how loudly to respond.
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