A petition opposing Gunn’s involvement was signed by nearly 50,000 individuals, which escalated the outrage.
Australian Olympic authorities responded by denouncing the petition and calling it “misleading and bullying.”
In a self-recorded video, Gunn addressed the situation on Instagram and expressed her displeasure with the backlash.
“Let me begin by expressing my gratitude to everyone who has helped me along the way. I really value your support and am happy that I was able to make you smile. That’s my hope,” she said.
The damage the reaction has caused, she admitted, adding, “I didn’t realize that would also open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating.”
