00:00Hey everyone, um, I sincerely hope that this topic wouldn't need to be revisited, but unfortunately
00:08things have really gotten out of hand lately and it's one thing to disagree with me regarding
00:17something I have said or a point I was trying to make, but it's something else entirely
00:23when that turns into cyberbullying or even worse, um, watching people cheer on the bullying
00:32which has led to threats of physical harm to me, my husband, and our daughter is disgusting.
00:43So please at this point I am just asking for it to just stop for the sake of my family
00:49because enough is enough. So why I'm here, um, is because about four weeks ago I made
00:58a comment about work ethic and what seems to be taking place with the rising generation.
01:06To be totally clear, I take 100% responsibility for poorly articulating the point I was trying
01:14to make and the last thing I wanted was to cause harm or offend our U.S. Olympic team.
01:24I know these women are incredible, the very best of the best, and almost all of them are
01:30my former teammates who I have enjoyed very much cheering on the last few years. Um, I
01:38posted a video apology on Instagram and I followed up with a written apology and I sent
01:48individual messages to each of the women on the team. Only Simone had responded and she
01:55told me that she was proud of me. Um, you guys can imagine my surprise last week when
02:01I was celebrating our team winning gold just to see this brought up all over again by a
02:07caption on an Instagram post. If Simone truly believes that I called our team lazy and lacking
02:17talent and if that's really how she feels, I am really heartbroken over it, but not just
02:24heartbroken because it isn't how I feel or even what I previously said, but heartbroken
02:32because Simone's latest post and others that followed it field another wave of hateful
02:39comments, um, DMs, articles, um, and emails, hate that includes death threats to me, my
02:49family, and even my agent. So, um, my family and my friends don't deserve to be caught in a
02:59crossfire here. They've done nothing. So to Simone, I am asking you directly and publicly
03:08to please put a stop to this. Please ask your followers to stop. You have been an incredible
03:15champion for mental health awareness and a lot of people need your help now. We've been
03:22hurt and attacked in ways that I am certain you, um, never intended. Um, your performance,
03:33the team's performance and the Olympics in general should be a time that we support one
03:39another and lift each other and our country up. Um, I love our country and I love our
03:46team and I hope that we can move on and move forward and cheer on the rest of our teammates
03:54and our athletes together.
Comments