Australian Olympic officials launch blistering spray about anti-Raygun petition and bust TWELVE myths about breakdancing icon in unprecedented attack on her critics

The Australian Olympic Committee has launched a furious attack on a petition demanding a public apology over breakdancer Rachael Gunn’s performance at the Paris Games, blasting it for bullying her and promoting a series of lies.

Almost 50,000 people have signed the change.org petition since it was created on Monday.

It calls for ‘immediate accountability and transparency in the recent actions’ of Gunn and Paris chef de mission Anna Meares over how Gunn won selection to represent Australia in Paris.

The call to action accuses the 36-year-old of ‘manipulating the selection process to her own advantage’ so she could be chosen above more talented Aussie female breakers – an allegation described as ‘raising serious questions about the fairness and integrity of the process’.

No evidence has been provided to back up the petition’s claims.

AOC boss Matt Carroll said the petition, which demands a public apology from Gunn and Meares, is ‘appalling’ and has ‘no factual basis’.

Carroll said the petition was an ‘affront’ to Meares, who had no role in overseeing the nomination of Olympic athletes to the AOC selection committee or in the qualification events for different sports.

He also said it ‘stirred up public hatred’ against Gunn and the AOC had written to change.org demanding the petition’s immediate removal.

At the time of writing, more than 46,000 people had signed the call to action (pictured)

AOC chief executive Matt Carroll (pictured) branded the petition ‘appalling’ and said it has ‘no factual basis’

‘The AOC is particularly offended by the affront to our Chef de Mission, Anna Meares. The Australian Team Chef de Mission played no role in the qualification events nor the nomination of athletes to the AOC Selection Committee, of which the Chef and I are members,’ Carroll said in a statement on Thursday.

‘It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way. It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory. We are demanding that it be removed from the site immediately.

‘The petition has stirred up public hatred without any factual basis. It’s appalling. No athlete who has represented their country at the Olympic Games should be treated in this way and we are supporting Dr Gunn and Anna Meares at this time.

‘It’s important that the community understands the facts and that people do not form opinions based on malicious untruths and misinformation.’

The AOC said Australia’s breaking qualifiers had been judged by a panel selected by the World DanceSport Federation featuring ‘nine independent international judges’.

It dispelled an online claim that Gunn’s partner, Samuel Free, had been involved in the judging process.

The AOC’s statement strongly refuted 12 mistruths about ‘Raygun’ (pictured) including that she only earned Olympics selection because her husband was one of the judges at the qualifying event she won 

‘Dr Rachael Gunn in winning the Oceania Breaking Championship in October 2023 was legitimately nominated by DanceSport Australia to the AOC for selection in the Australian Olympic Team,’ the statement read.

‘Dr Rachael Gunn holds no position with AUSBreaking or DanceSport Australia in any capacity. She is simply an athlete who competed in the qualifying event which she won. There were no appeals from any athlete.

‘Mr Samuel Free is a coach who holds no position with AUSBreaking or DanceSport Australia in any capacity and was not a judge at the qualifying event.’

The AOC also refuted false claims that taxpayer money had been sought to fund Australia’s Olympic breaking competitors’ travel.

‘No Federal taxpayer’s funds were sought, nor provided for the Olympic Teams’ Paris campaign,’ it said.

‘The $25m cost for the team was met entirely by the Australian Olympic Committee.’

Gunn and her husband did not return home with the rest of the Aussie team on Wednesday amid the furore.