Gus Kenworthy labelled ‘traitor’ after joining Team GB at the 2026 Winter Olympics
"If anything, I almost feel like it's more patriotic that I'm letting another American go," said Kenworthy
By Aaron Sugg
As Gus Kenworthy gears up for his fourth Olympics, he recalled being labelled a “traitor” after joining Team Great Britain at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Having taken a short hiatus from competitive sport in 2022 following the Beijing Winter Olympics, the professional skier is making a comeback in the February games.
Kenworthy, who is British-American, previously won a silver medal for Team USA at the 2014 Sochi Games, and after competing again for America in 2018, he switched delegation to the UK in 2019.
“I do feel like I’m American, but I also do feel like I’m British” – Gus Kenworthy on his decision to represent Team Great Britain at the Winter Olympics
In a new interview with People magazine, Kenworthy spoke about the team switch, revealing the change was not easy for sporting fans to accept.
“I feel good about it. I mean, I do feel like I’m American, but I also do feel like I’m British, and that’s where I was born and my mum’s British,” he said.
“I’ve definitely gotten shit where people are like, ‘You’re a traitor,’ and I don’t think of it that way,” he added, revealing that in 2014 he had the choice to represent either country.
“I almost feel like it’s more patriotic” – Kenworthy on moving to Team GB
Evidently, he chose to represent Team USA, taking home an Olympic silver medal for Men’s Freestyle Skiing Slopestyle, alongside gold medallist Joss Christensen.
Having previously represented Team GB to honour his British mother, he said the decision to switch teams for the 2026 Winter Olympics was somewhat “patriotic.”
“If anything, I almost feel like it’s more patriotic that I’m letting another American go,” he said.
“I also had a secret relationship with these clandestine meetings and hookups” – Kenworthy praising Heated Rivalry
Kenworthy is one of many celebrities and sportsmen to praise the viral Crave hockey series Heated Rivalry, starring Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie.
The 34-year-old shared his thoughts on the six-part gay romance with The New Yorker, saying: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen myself reflected onscreen like that, in such a substantial way.”
“The parallels are kind of insane. I also had a secret relationship with these clandestine meetings and hookups,” he added.
Heated Rivalry stars Williams and Storrie were recently spotted in Italy as the official torchbearers for the 2026 Winter Olympics, ahead of the Opening Ceremony on 6 February 2026.
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