A Tennessee Republican is taking aim at American athletes who sell out their own country to compete for communist regimes and other hostile foreign nations.
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) has introduced groundbreaking legislation called the "Officially Limiting Yearly Money Procured by Individuals Concerning Sportsmanship Act" – or OLYMPICS Act – that would slap a hefty tax on income earned by U.S. athletes who choose to represent "foreign entities of concern" in international competition.
The move comes after freestyle skier Eileen Gu became the poster child for American athletic betrayal when she ditched Team USA to compete for communist China in the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Gu's decision to abandon her homeland for Chinese gold sparked nationwide outrage among patriots who watched an American-trained athlete literally wrap herself in the flag of our greatest geopolitical enemy.
Taxing Traitors
"If you're going to take American training, American resources, and American opportunities, then turn around and compete against us for hostile foreign governments, there should be consequences," a source familiar with the legislation told reporters.
The OLYMPICS Act specifically targets athletes who compete for countries designated as "foreign entities of concern" – a category that includes communist China, Iran, Russia, and other nations that actively work against American interests.
Under Ogles' proposal, these turncoat athletes would face significant tax penalties on prize money, endorsement deals, and other income related to their foreign representation. It's about time someone in Congress stood up for America First principles in international sports.
Long Overdue Accountability
For too long, American athletes have been able to have their cake and eat it too – benefiting from world-class U.S. training facilities, coaching, and development programs, only to compete against their own country when it suits their bank accounts.
The Eileen Gu debacle perfectly exposed this corrupt system. She used American resources to become an elite athlete, then literally competed against Americans while representing a communist regime that actively threatens our national security.
Patriots across the country are asking: Why should American taxpayers subsidize the training of athletes who ultimately compete against us? Ogles' OLYMPICS Act finally provides an answer – and consequences for those who choose foreign flags over the red, white, and blue.