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Su-Lin Tan

Australia has a soft spot for underdogs. But when it comes to Rachael Gunn aka Raygun, the nation’s unorthodox contender in this year’s Olympic breakdancing debut, controversy has muddied that affection.
Clips of Raygun’s unconventional moves at the Paris Games went viral, as did online hate and conspiracy theories over whether she was Australia’s best female breakdancer.
Lest we forget, Australia’s male entry J Attack or Jeff Dunne was on form but didn’t rack up as many memes - the tabloid measure of fame - as Raygun.
The biggest Raygun controversy involved a now-removed online petition that claimed her entry into the Olympics was a set-up. Before it was withdrawn, the petition received more signatures than others on the same platform calling for visas for refugees or harsher sentencing for sexual offenders.
But since the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) shot off a stern note last week telling haters to zip it, most of the bullying comments have ceased. But the nattering about Raygun at street corners and dinner parties has not.
At the mention of Raygun, the floodgates opened for some football aficionados I spoke to at a Sydney pizza shop.
Their analysis of how Australia’s football teams have had to endure multiple rounds of qualification to get to the Olympics and other competitions would put seasoned commentators to shame.

Facing esteemed teams from South America to Asia, Australia’s football players didn’t have it easy. Yet Raygun did, they said. It didn’t make sense.
To the uninitiated, Australia is obsessed with sports. It’s national pride. It’s the centrepiece of the working week. Running at lunchtime? Standard.
It’s not Raygun that bothered people. It’s the gatekeepers, institutions and sports experts tasked with safeguarding Australia’s sporting reputation that did.
The masses did not have a problem with Raygun – she properly qualified and did what she knew.
They had a problem with a lack of accountability.
Surely, someone from Australia’s Olympic-audit-department-of-world-standards would have been checking on Raygun’s routine and saying: “Hmm, love, it’s not quite up to the global scratch. Enjoyed the kangaroo, nice sprinkler but maybe, step up the windmills or head spins a little”.
Sure, breaking is subjective but so is diving or gymnastics. You don’t see many kangaroos or slithering snakes there.
Then there’s also good subjective and not-so-good subjective, and it’s available for all to see.

When the need for fairness and transparency intersects with national pride and global reputation, it hits a nerve.
After all, Australia is the most successful gold-per-capita nation at the Olympics with a total medal haul of 53 in fourth place with only 26 million people, more than third-place Japan.
Both were the only nations flying the flag for Asia-Pacific in the top 10 medal tally at the Games.
“This isn’t a case of Eric the Eel,” my pizza football mates said, referring to Eric Moussambani, the classic underdog and the first swimmer to represent his country, Equatorial Guinea, at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
Barely able to finish his heat, he became famous for embracing the Olympic spirit of participation.
But that’s the International Olympic Committee’s inclusive standard for the world; Australia’s standard is, as a successful sporting nation, that and more.

The cruel jibes at Raygun should stop but not the questions about the people and organisations assessing her performance.
When the AOC and sports veterans tell people to look the other way and instead focus on celebrating Raygun’s “have a go” spirit, it makes a bit of a mockery of those looking for answers.
That just applies to everything. When something stinks and the powerful tries to snuff out the stench, it just gets worse.
Still, the underdog is popular in Australia and TV networks and advertisers are cashing in on Raygun with promises of reality TV stardom and brand power.
It may be a distraction but it doesn’t quell the discontent that is still simmering.


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Australia

Australia’s Raygun Olympic saga simmers over demand for answers from the top

Australia’s Rachael Gunn aka Raygun competes in the women’s breaking dance round robin of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on August 9. Photo: AFP

B-girl Raygun of Team Australia competes during the B-girls round robin - Group B at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at La Concorde Urban Park on August 9. Photo: TNS

Australia fans inside Marseille stadium before the Paris 2024 Olympics women’s Group B football match between Australia and Germany on July 25. Photo: Reuters

Australia’s Rachael Gunn, known as B-Girl Raygun, competes during the round-robin battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the Paris 2024 Olympics on August 9. Photo: AP

Can’t catch a break: Australian Olympic Committee condemns public call for apology from breakdancer Raygun

Raygun of Australia in action during the B-Girls’ round robin during the 2024 Paris Olympics in France on August 9. Photo: Reuters

Australia’s Raygun during the B-Girls’ round robin at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Photo: Reuters

Australia’s J Attack in action during the B Boys’ round robin at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Reuters

A post by former Malaysian professional cyclist and Olympian Josiah Ng on Rachael Gunn’s Instagram page said “the value of the Olympian brand has been severely diminished by this spectacle”. Photo: Instagram

‘Fantastic as fiction’: Penny Wong on becoming Australia’s top diplomat as an immigrant

Penny Wong speaking at the Centre for Asian-Australian Leadership, established by the Australian National University to address the underrepresentation of Asian-Australians in leadership positions. Photo: Erin Chew

Penny Wong on a panel with former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans, also an advisory board member of the Centre for Asian-Australian Leadership, at the Australian National University. Photo: Erin Chew

Penny Wong addresses the eighth session of the China-Australia High Level Dialogue in Adelaide on August 16. Photo: Xinhua

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Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, British Ambassador to the USA Karen Pierce and US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell sign the Aukus agreement for cooperation related to naval nuclear propulsion in Washington DC, on August 5. Photo: Australia’s government

Australia is set to acquire Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines from the early 2030s.  Photo: US Navy 

Anti-Aukus protesters stand outside Australia’s parliament in Canberra on March 18. Photo: Reuters

Olympic gaffes over Chinese names, South Korea show more effort needed in diversity push

China’s Wang Chuqin during his men’s table tennis singles match in the team gold-medal match between China and Sweden at the 2024 Olympic Games at the South Paris Arena in Paris on August 9. Photo: AFP

China’s Quan Hongchan competes in the women’s 10m platform diving final at the 2024 Summer Olympics on August 6 in Saint-Denis, France. Photo: AP

Hong Kong’s Felix Diu Chun-hei during the men’s 100m preliminary round at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, on August 3. Photo: Xinhua

Athletes of South Korea aboard a boat in the floating parade on the river Seine during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics in Paris on July 26. The team was mistakenly introduced as North Korea. Photo: Reuters

This Week in Asia

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News

Asia

Asia Opinion

Australians have no issue with Olympian Rachael Gunn aka Raygun, their grouse is with the lack of accountability from sports authorities


Australians have no issue with Olympian Rachael Gunn aka Raygun, their grouse is with the lack of accountability from sports authorities.


Breakdancing

IOC (International Olympic Committee)

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


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My Take | Australia’s Raygun Olympic saga simmers over demand for answers from the top

Australians have no issue with Olympian Rachael Gunn aka Raygun, their grouse is with the lack of accountability from sports authorities