International Olympic biathletes critical of Donald Trump, U.S. gun policies

Josh Peter | USA TODAY

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PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — President Donald Trump hasn’t tweeted about the 2018 Winter Games, much less visited the Olympics venues here. But he was on minds and lips Saturday night during the biathlon, a sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.

In fact, Trump was referenced several times when a well-known coach and international competitors were asked about gun violence in the United States and the shooting at a Florida high school on Wednesday in which 17 people were killed.

“If you have this crazy president like you have, Trump, then you will change nothing,’’ said Wolfgang Pichler, a German coach who has worked with several top athletes.

Norway’s Tiril Eckhoff, who won the bronze medal in the women’s 12.5-kilometer mass start Saturday, grinned as she said, “I don’t think Trump would like me now…’’

With that, Eckhoff voiced support for stronger gun control.

“In Norway, it’s really strict to buy weapons,’’ she said. “I think that’s the main thing in America. Everyone can buy a gun, and that’s totally wrong, I think.

“The world is not safer with guns. It’s maybe weird when I say it because I do sports with gun. But I think when you don’t have good training like you have in military or like you do in our sport … when people think you can do like in 'Call of Duty,' when mentally not-healthy people can go out and buy a gun, it’s not good for the planet, or the U.S.’’

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Switzerland’s Elisa Gasparin also said she’d push for tighter gun control.

“It’s surely important to regulate who gets weapons, because I think it’s easier in America to get to a weapon than in Switzerland,’’ she said. “In Switzerland, you need to confirm that you’re not (mentally ill), and also you need to prove that you don’t have any (criminal) history. Sadly, something like this can happen.’’

While no American biathletes competed Saturday, Susan Dunklee spoke to The Washington Post before the Florida tragedy and described her struggles after a mass shooting.

“... Every time I hear of some mass shooting like that, it’s really painful," Dunklee told The Post. "That’s so different than my experience with rifles and firearms. It’s tough. I struggle with that.”

Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi said she was troubled by the gun violence, and in particular by news reports about African-Americans being shot by police officers.

“It’s very dangerous in U.S. and not in Italy,’’ she said. “If I was in America, I would not feel safe, I think.’’



