Humphries criticised for honouring Trump

The US bobsledder, a double medallist at the Milano Cortina, Kaillie Humphries, presented the country's president with the 'Order of Ikkos' at the White House this week in recognition of his support as a personal mentor, sparking controversy within parts of the sporting community.

"I want to recognise the support you have shown women in sport within the Olympic movement. In particular, I would like to thank you for standing up for biological women competing in women's sports, for keeping the playing field safe, and for allowing fair competition," said Kaillie Humphries, who returned to the Olympic podium at the age of 40 a month ago, having previously won gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi while competing for Canada. Born in Calgary, Humphries chose to compete for the United States in 2019, winning the nation's first Olympic gold in monobob.

The American has an extremely high sporting profile due to her achievements and personal story, and she has been criticised this week for honouring Donald Trump with an award named after the first recorded Olympic coach in ancient Greece. Since 2008, Team USA medallists have presented the award to someone who has played a vital role in their sporting and personal lives. For Humphries, Trump has been that figure not only personally, but also for women's sport. She made this clear during the White House ceremony, which was held specifically to honour women.

During her speech, she referred to policies introduced by the president since he came to power that "are creating greater access to in vitro fertilisation", which, in her case, have enabled families like hers to 'continue to grow' as she looks to expand her own family. The athlete noted in her remarks that Trump is the first president in history to receive an 'Order of Ikkos'.

Humphries' decision has sparked widespread criticism online, with many arguing that Trump has not earned such a distinction. Reactions have come from various quarters, with many originating in Canada, her birthplace. Some critics have referenced her change of sporting nationality, distancing themselves from her origins.

During the event, the rapport between Humphries and Trump was evident when the athlete described the president as 'simply the best', to which he responded jokingly that he "knew I liked her".

Humphries said that she is used to fans either agreeing with or disagreeing with some of the decisions or actions she takes, something she regards as natural for an elite athlete who is subject to public scrutiny and pressure. Humphries acknowledged that she respects differing opinions, but when respect disappears, she simply tries to ignore them. "I understand that people have their own personal beliefs. They can believe what they want, and so can I. It's fine to have different opinions. However when it turns into hate or wishing me harm, that’s when I choose to ignore it," she told the attendees.

Since arriving at the White House, Trump has pursued an active policy regarding women's sport. A year ago, he signed an executive order excluding transgender girls and women from female sports competitions. He had already taken a stance following the controversy surrounding the 2024 Paris Olympics, when the participation of two boxers, Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, sparked global debate after they were removed from the 2023 World Championships by the International Boxing Association due to doubts about their eligibility.

Order 1421, also known as the 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports' order, aims to restrict transgender women from competing in women's sporting events based on the definitions of 'man' and 'woman' set out in Executive Order 14168.

Trump has signed numerous executive directives, including another aimed at expanding and guaranteeing support for access to in vitro fertilisation, which Humphries referred to in her speech on Thursday. The athlete became emotional when recalling her two-and-a-half-year journey to become a mother through fertility treatment. She described herself as a 'legal immigrant' and explained that "Olympic medals are never won alone", as a way of explaining why she chose to honour Trump with the award.