Struggling U.S. skier Mikaela Shiffrin is cutting out interviews at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
After disqualifications in the giant slalom and slalom generated controversial TV coverage that included a raw interview with NBC, the two-time gold medalist issued a statement through a U.S. Olympic spokesperson on Thursday (per Reuters): “Mikaela (nor her mother/coach Eileen) will not be doing any media for the foreseeable future. Thank you for respecting her/their space right now.”
NBC’s cameras trained on the crestfallen Shiffrin after she shockingly missed a gate early in the slalom on Wednesday. Then she said in a heart-wrenching interview with the network that her performance “makes me second-guess the last 15 years. ... Just processing a lot for sure, and I feel really bad.”
The coverage received widespread criticism for focusing so intently on Shiffrin’s disappointment. Some viewers compared it with the harsh spotlight on gymnast Simone Biles, whose mental health concerns prompted her to drop out of some events at last year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Shiffrin fielded questions from reporters for 45 minutes after her elimination in the slalom, according to NBC. Apparently, that was enough for her.
She’s set to compete Friday in the Super-G, the U.S. ski team announced.
